Department for Transport

Highways England: Wales

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of land owned by Highways England is in Wales.

Jesse Norman: Highways England have identified four land registry titles that are registered to them and are located fully within Wales. They have also recorded five land registry titles that are registered to Highways England but span the Wales-England border. This represents approximately 0.02% of land that is registered to Highways England with the Land Registry.

Turkmenistan Airlines

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what step his Department is taking to support UK customers that were financially affected by the grounding of Turkmenistan Airlines for safety reasons in 2018.

Jesse Norman: On 4 February 2019, Turkmenistan Airlines had its permission to fly to and from the European Union withdrawn pending confirmation that it meets international safety standards. Affected passengers should contact Turkmenistan Airlines, their travel insurer or booking agent for advice on refunds. Further information about refund options is also available on the Civil Aviation Authority website at https://www.caa.co.uk/News/Suspension-of-Operations-by-Turkmenistan-Airlines---Information-for-UK-consumers/

Driving Tests

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has plans to amend the driver’s theory test in relation to (a) pedestrians and (b) cyclists.

Jesse Norman: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is committed to broadening the scope of vulnerable road users in the car driving theory test. The multiple choice part of the theory test includes questions on the awareness of, and actions relating to, the vulnerability of pedestrians and cyclists. The hazard perception element of the theory test contains clips that have been developed to increase the realism of situations involving vulnerable road users, including pedestrians and cyclists.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which Minister in his Department authorised the establishment of a national police group to guard High Speed Two.

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the additional police required to guard High Speed Two under the enhanced police service agreement in which HS2 Ltd pay for that service.

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department will provide for the special police force planned for policing the construction of High Speed Two.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: There is no National Police Group established to guard HS2 and there is no special police force planned for policing the construction of HS2.

Crossrail Line

Sir David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has made to the (a) Mayor of London and (b) chair of Crossrail Ltd on additional delays to the opening of Crossrail.

Andrew Jones: The Department for Transport has regular discussions with Transport for London and Crossrail Limited regarding the Crossrail project. Crossrail Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Transport for London, are currently working on a revised schedule for the opening of the Elizabeth line. Crossrail Limited have said that they expect to provide further detail on the revised schedule by the end of April 2019.

Durham Coast Railway Line

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2019 to Question 241019, how long the refurbished Sprinter trains destined for the Durham Coast line will have been in service prior to being sent for refurbishment.

Andrew Jones: The Sprinter fleets of trains for the Durham Coast line are being thoroughly refurbished to modern day standards. They were introduced between 1985 and 1992 and this will be the first significant refurbishment since then. Every route on Northern will be receiving either brand new trains or trains refurbished as new.

Durham Coast Railway Line

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2019 to Question 241019, what service the refurbished Sprinter trains destined for the Durham Coast line have been taken from.

Andrew Jones: This will be an operational decision for the Northern franchisee which will be redeploying its own fleet as well as some trains cascaded in from other franchises.

Durham Coast Railway Line

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2019 to Question 241019, what trains will replace the refurbished Sprinter trains destined for the Durham Coast line.

Andrew Jones: The trains that will replace the refurbished Sprinter trains destined for the Durham Coast line will be a matter for a future franchisee responding to the specification issued at the time.

Durham Coast Railway Line

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2019 to Question 241019, what the expected operational lifespan is of the refurbished Sprinter trains to be used on the Durham Coast line.

Andrew Jones: The refurbished Sprinter trains to be used on the Durham Coast line will have an operational lifespan that will last at least until the end of the current Northern franchise term in 2025.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide an update at today's costs of the total cost for the construction of High Speed Two.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: HS2 Ltd is currently working with their contracted suppliers to update and agree the latest cost and schedule positions for Phase One. Once completed we will make these details public as part of the Phase One Full Business Case, which is due for publication later in 2019.

High Speed Two: Pay

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the directors of HS2 Ltd and their annual salary or equivalent.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: This information is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hs2-ltd-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-to-2018

Cycling: Insurance

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport,  what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a cycling indemnity for people using their bike to get to work.

Jesse Norman: The Department encourages all cyclists to take out some form of insurance and many do through cycling organisations (which provide insurance through membership) or as an extension of their household insurance.

Electric Vehicles: Bicycles

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness legislation to limit the use of the throttle on e-bikes at 15.5mph.

Jesse Norman: No such assessment has yet been made. A cycle with electric assistance available above speeds of 15.5 mph would be classified as a moped and is subject to different regulatory requirements. Enforcement of requirements for vehicle use on the roads is a matter for the police.

Railways: Compensation

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish the Schedule 8 payments made for financial year 2019-19; and if he will publish that data by financial quarter.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the Schedule 8 payments for each financial quarter for financial year 2017-18.

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the Schedule 8 payments made during the first quarter of financial year 2018-19.

Andrew Jones: Schedule 8 payments made by Network Rail to train operating companies are currently reported by Network Rail in their Regulatory Financial Statements. These financial statements are produced in line with regulatory accounting guidelines determined by the Office of Rail Road (ORR), the regulator of Network Rail. This information is available annually but is not published on a quarterly basis.  The latest statements (for the financial year 2017-18) were published in July 2018 and are available below. https://cdn.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/NRIL-Regulatory-Financial-Statement-for-the-year-ended-31st-March-2018.pdf The total value of schedule 8 payments made in Great Britain in 2017-18 was £219 million and can be found in statement 1 (page 1) of the above statements. Figures for individual routes within Network Rail can be found elsewhere within this report. Equivalent figures for 2018-19 are expected to be published later this year. Following the beginning of Network Rail control period 6 in 2019-20, the ORR regulatory accounting guidelines are currently under review.

East Coast Railway Line

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2019 to Question 243447 on the East Coast Railway Line, through which Government Department Members of Parliament can hold Network Rail accountable for its performance.

Andrew Jones: The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) regulate Network Rail, holding it to account for delivering high levels of performance and service, as well as good value for money – for passengers, the freight industry and taxpayers. The ORR are accountable to Parliament and the public. The Secretary of State sets the high-level strategy for Network Rail, though Network Rail retains a high degree of autonomy in how it meets the aims of that strategy. The Secretary of State of Transport is accountable to Parliament for the activities and performance of Network Rail.

Transport: Stoke-on-Trent

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that reasonably-priced travel options remain available to passengers travelling from Stoke-on-Trent to London.

Andrew Jones: The Government regulates the existence and price of certain rail fares. We protect passengers by setting the maximum amount by which regulated fares can increase year-on-year. The Government has ensured regulated fares can rise by no more than inflation since 2014. Passengers travelling from Stoke-on-Trent on the West Midlands Rail franchise now benefit from live train crowding information, compensation for people delayed by 15 minutes or more, smart ticketing and, from next year, better value tickets for part-time workers. These changes modernise rail fares for those travelling from Stoke-on-Trent and offer fare payers the choice and flexibility they expect of a modern railway.

Railways: Fares

Jack Brereton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the regulations governing rail fares and ticketing were last reviewed.

Andrew Jones: The Coalition Government conducted a review of fares and ticketing and its Rail Fares and Ticketing: Next Steps document was published in October 2013. In 2016, the Department, Rail Delivery Group, Which?, and Transport Focus worked together to identify actions to improve fares and ticketing for passengers, culminating in the publication of the Action Plan for information on Rail Fares and Ticketing. This resulted in more than 200,000 instances of confusing language and abbreviations being removed from tickets.

Railways: Fares

Jack Brereton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to review the regulations governing rail fares and ticketing.

Andrew Jones: The Williams Review is considering how to enable a railway that is able to offer good value fares for passengers, while keeping costs down for taxpayers. The Rail Delivery Group recently published its Easier Fares for All proposals which are a welcome contribution to the Review. The Department is committed to work with the industry to consider how to refresh and update regulations to reflect changing travel patterns, and to understand how their proposals might work and be tested in the real world.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Buckinghamshire

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will halt all High Speed Two works in Buckinghamshire until the full designs have been completed and the costs of the project have been updated at today's prices.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: HS2 is one of the most important infrastructure projects in the UK, supported by the House of Commons and by regional leaders across the country. It will regenerate and rebalance local economies and provide unmatched opportunities for passenger and freight travel. I have no intention of halting work on HS2 in Buckinghamshire or elsewhere. There are already well over 7,000 people and 2,000 businesses working to deliver the HS2 project and early works are well underway. Once HS2 Ltd has reached agreement with its suppliers and the Government is satisfied about both affordability and value for money, we will make a Full Business Case for Phase One. This will inform Notice to Proceed which is the formal contractual process which enables each Phase One supplier to move from design and development to construction.

River Thames: Boats

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to proposals from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on older UK passenger boats, what discussions he has had with the (a) Mayor of London and (b) Minister for London on the loss of competition and choice on the tidal River Thames.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Ministers have regular meetings with the Mayor of London and the Minister for London to discuss a range of matters. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is in communication with the Competition and Markets Authority to ensure the effect of the proposals for harmonising safety standards on older and newer passenger vessels is acceptable from the perspective of competition and choice.

Boats

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what impact assessment his Department (a) has carried out or (b) is proposing on the potential effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older UK passenger boats and their potential effect on UK tourism and loss of historic river routes.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) consulted upon an Impact Assessment (IA) during a public consultation which ran from 6 November 2018 to 29 January 2019. Consultees were invited to comment on the validity of the analysis in the IA and encouraged to provide information that would help to strengthen this. The IA is now being updated to reflect the range of further information provided through consultee feedback. However, the process is ongoing and policy officials in the MCA are happy to discuss impacts with any interested parties and take onboard relevant evidence for the assessment.

River Thames: Boats

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has (a) conducted or (b) plans to conduct an impact assessment on the effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals for older Thames passenger boats on (i) tourism in London, (ii) the maintenance of skilled jobs, (iii) the night economy in London and (iv) employment in boatyards.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) consulted upon an Impact Assessment (IA) during a public consultation which ran from 6 November 2018 to 29 January 2019. Consultees were invited to comment on the validity of the analysis in the IA and encouraged to provide information that would help to strengthen this. The IA is now being updated to reflect the range of further information provided through consultee feedback. However, the process is ongoing and policy officials in the MCA are happy to discuss impacts with any interested parties, and take onboard relevant evidence for the assessment.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Nuclear Power: Thorium

Alex Chalk: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of using thorium fuels for energy production.

Andrew Stephenson: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) maintains an interest in the global potential of thorium nuclear fuels. In 2012, the National Nuclear laboratory (NNL) published an initial comparative assessment of thorium and uranium technologies in nuclear powered electricity generation. This is available online from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/thorium-and-uranium-fuel-cycles-comparison-by-the-national-nuclear-laboratory. BEIS has considered these views and drawn on the expertise of its national laboratories to model nuclear scenarios that include the use of thorium. These are used to inform R&D needs on thorium nuclear fuel cycles. An overview of these are included in the document “Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap: Future Pathways”, which is available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nuclear-energy-research-and-development-roadmap-future-pathways. The UK has been supporting research and development into the use of thorium nuclear fuels since such fuels were used in the Dragon reactor at Winfrith in the 1960s and 1970s. Examples of current activity on thorium and related technologies include academic research into thorium fuelled reactor systems and fuel cycle processes through Research Council grants to UK universities; collaboration on thorium fuels, via the UK Research Councils’ Energy Programme, with national nuclear energy programmes of other countries on safety, performance and non-proliferation; experimental development of thorium fuels through the NNL and private sector organisations, as part of international consortia, and thorium fuel modelling and fuel cycle scenario analysis by the NNL. These activities cover UK, EU and worldwide initiatives and receive either financial or strategic support from the Government.

STEM Subjects: Research

Chris Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has plans to increase Government funding to support the STEM research sector; and what recent assessment he has made of the effect of such Government funding on changes in the number of highly skilled people working in that sector.

Chris Skidmore: Through our modern Industrial Strategy we have committed to the highest R&D increase on record. We have announced increases in public R&D spending worth £7bn up to 2021/2022, and we are working with UK Research and Innovation and other key partners to develop a roadmap that sets out how government and industry will work together to reach our target of increasing R&D investment to 2.4% of GDP by 2027, which would be the highest recorded level, and 3% in the longer-term. The Government recognises that to make best use of this increased level of investment in science we will need to increase the number of researchers and strengthen the pipeline leading to research careers. Though it is too early to assess the impacts of these new programmes we are addressing this need through such programmes as UK Research and Innovation’s £900m Future Leaders Fellowship which aims to attract the best researchers from the UK and from around the world.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Public Expenditure

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to row 7 of the table on page 250 of his Department's publication, Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18, if he will publish a breakdown of the figures under the heading entitled, Taking action on climate change and decarbonisation (ALB) net for (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16, (c) 2016-17, and (d) 2017-18.

Andrew Stephenson: The breakdown of expenditure for 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 under the heading Taking action on climate change and decarbonisation (ALB) net is as shown in the following table:  £k  2014-152015-162016-172017-18Nuclear Decommissioning AuthorityBad debts--7- Depreciation/amortisation64,86354,35029,00043,102 Impairment/revaluation-3,081--262,713 Purchase of goods and services---92,900 Take up of provision5,573,76589,751,2302,821,50970,768,099 Take up of provision (Change in pensions liability)8,806-7,648-- Unwinding of discount rate (pensions)---373 Unwinding of discount rate (provisions)----1,255,331Total Nuclear Decommissioning Authority 5,644,35389,797,9322,850,51669,911,856

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: Expenditure

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to row 12 of the table on page 250 of his Department's publication, Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18, if he will publish a  breakdown of the figures under the heading, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority for (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16, (c) 2016-17 and (d) 2017-18.

Andrew Stephenson: The breakdown of expenditure for 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 under the heading Nuclear Decommissioning Authority is as shown in the following table:   £k  2014-152015-162016-172017-18Nuclear Decommissioning AuthorityBad debts--7- Depreciation/amortisation64,86354,35029,00043,102 Impairment/revaluation-3,081--262,713 Purchase of goods and services---92,900 Take up of provision5,573,76589,751,2302,821,50970,768,099 Take up of provision (Change in pensions liability)8,806-7,648-- Unwinding of discount rate (pensions)---373 Unwinding of discount rate (provisions)----1,255,331Total Nuclear Decommissioning Authority 5,644,35389,797,9322,850,51669,911,856

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Public Expenditure

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to row 8 of the table on page 250 of his Department's publication, Annual Report and Accounts 2017-18, if he will publish a breakdown of the figures under the heading, Managing our energy legacy safely and responsibly (ALB) net, for (a) 2014-15, (b) 2015-16, (c) 2016-17 and (d) 2017-18.

Andrew Stephenson: The breakdown of expenditure for 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 under the heading Managing our energy legacy safely and responsibly (ALB) net is as shown in the following table:£k  2014-152015-162016-172017-18Civil Nuclear Police AuthorityTake up of provision76-317115-1 Unwinding of discount rate (provisions)1064527  Utilisation of provisions-693-554-284-267 Total Civil Nuclear Police Authority-511-826-142-268Coal AuthorityBad debts--9- Depreciation/amortisation--141- Impairment/revaluation6,6765,2904,9115,477 Take up of provision-66,8671,907,87543,8011,555,047 Unwinding of discount rate (provisions)11,57910,503-23,799-26,956 Utilisation of provisions-16,712-16,378-23,002-26,194 Total Coal Authority-65,3241,907,2902,0611,507,374Oil and Gas AuthorityNotional Costs--14-- Take up of provision-19110630 Unwinding of discount rate (provisions)-3-4 Utilisation of provisions--14-- Total Oil and Gas Authority-16610634Total Managing our energy legacy safely and responsibly (ALB) net  -65,8351,906,6302,0251,507,140

Artificial Intelligence and Computers: Research

Mr David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent steps he has taken to support research into advanced computing and artificial intelligence.

Chris Skidmore: Research and development is fundamental to improving future living standards, as well as tackling some of the greatest challenges and opportunities, such as those identified in our Industrial Strategy Grand Challenges, which includes Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data. Through the Industrial Strategy, we have committed to reaching the target of 2.4% of GDP investment in R&D by 2027 and 3% in the longer term, placing us in the top quartile of OECD countries. In April 2018, we announced a Sector Deal between government and industry that will put the UK at the forefront of the AI industry. As part of this, UKRI announced £100m investment in February 2019 in PhDs in AI at 16 new Centres for Doctoral Training based at 14 UK universities. UKRI has also announced four regional workshops to seek input to the current UKRI Review of AI. In advanced computing, my rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £79 million funding for the next national supercomputer, ARCHER2, in the recent Spring Statement. The supercomputer will be hundreds of thousands of times more powerful than a traditional desktop computer and will be used to run massive research simulations. This new resource will be housed at the University of Edinburgh's Advanced Computing Facility at Easter Bush, and will be integral in aiding discoveries in many areas of research including Materials Science, Engineering, Physics and Chemistry and Climate science.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Billing

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of his Department's payments to (a) businesses and (b) SMEs were made within his Department's prompt payment target in each of the last five years.

Andrew Stephenson: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) complies with the Prompt Payment Code which the Chartered Institute of Credit Management administers on our behalf. BEIS was formed on 14 July 2016 so we are unable to provide data prior to that date. The data we hold applies to payments of valid invoices for goods and services and cannot be sub-divided into those made to general business and those made to SMEs. The data in the table below applies to all businesses:YearValid invoices paid within 30 days   2017-1899.3% 2018-1999.3%  Links: BIES Annual Report & Accounts 2016-17 (page 77)BEIS Annual Report & Accounts 2017-18 (page 37)

Construction: Skilled Workers

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent estimate his Department has made of the number of skilled workers in the construction industry.

Andrew Stephenson: The following table provides information about skills levels in the construction workforce in 2018.   Skill levelNumberPercentageHigh532,10023%Upper Middle1,216,60053%Lower Middle373,80016%Low176,5008%Total2,299,000100% Data source: Annual Population Survey Jan-Dec 2018, extracted from NOMIS

Construction: Training

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of young people training for a career in the construction industry.

Andrew Stephenson: The Government and construction industry have agreed an ambitious Sector Deal which aims to transform the productivity of the sector, including measures to increase skills and apprenticeships. We are working with the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), Construction Innovation Hub and Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) to identify the skills needed for the construction sector of the future and helping design the qualifications frameworks and training programmes that will enable firms to train the next generation of apprentices in these skills. A joint Government and industry commitment to develop 50 new construction apprenticeship standards by the end of 2018 has already been exceeded, with 82 new apprenticeship standards agreed. Other measures include: a commitment to complete CITB’s reform programme by end 2019, to make it a more streamlined, responsive and effective organisation; an industry-led goal of increasing construction apprenticeship starts to 25k per annum by 2020; £34m investment in the Construction Skills Fund, to establish 20 onsite training hubs by 2020; an improved careers portal for the sector (through CITB’s GoConstruct), to help improve diversity of recruitment; work with industry to ensure sufficient high-quality work placements are available for the introduction of construction T Levels in 2020; and using public procurement to help drive investment in construction skills.

Furniture: Regulation

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish the responses to the September 2016 Consultation on Updating the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations.

Kelly Tolhurst: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Furniture: Fire Resistant Materials

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what scientific advice has been sought from environmental scientists by the Office for Product Safety and Standards as part of the review of the use of flame retardant chemicals in domestic upholstery.

Kelly Tolhurst: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Nuclear Power

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) cost and (b) environmental consequences of nuclear energy.

Andrew Stephenson: All nuclear new build projects are assessed on a case by case basis to ensure they provide value for money for taxpayers and consumers. Before a new nuclear power station can be built and operated, the operator must apply for and obtain a number of permissions from the independent regulators and from Government. The assessment of environmental impact is an important consideration in regulators deciding whether relevant permissions should be issued and what conditions should be attached to the permissions. In addition, potential new nuclear technologies are considered under the Justification Regulations, with ‘Justification’ being the process by which Government determines whether the potential benefits of a practice making use of ionising radiation outweigh its potential risks. Furthermore, all developers of new build stations are required to have a Funded Decommissioning Programme approved by the Secretary of State before nuclear-related construction can begin. This ensures the taxpayer does not bear the burden for future costs of turning the station into a greenfield site once generation has ceased.

Passenger Ships

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the Department for Transport on the effect of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s proposals on older UK passenger boats on businesses and skilled maritime jobs.

Kelly Tolhurst: Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Gambia: Corruption

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the current efficiency of anti-corruption measures in The Gambia.

Harriett Baldwin: Corruption undermines the rule of law and democracy and damages trust in government, the efficient use of public resources and national security. It corrodes the fabric of society and creates barriers to doing business. The UK is committed to tackling corruption both at home and overseas, as set out in the UK anti-corruption strategy 2017-2022. Corruption in The Gambia was rife under the regime of former President Yahya Jammeh. A recent report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Project (OCCRP) highlighted that potentially up to US$1billion of state assets may have been stolen by Jammeh. The Gambia’s Commission of Inquiry, investigating assets stolen by Jammeh, has also recently submitted its report to the Government. We urge the Government of The Gambia to act on the findings of the reports, ensuring due process is followed. Corruption remains a concern in The Gambia, however the new Government has shown a welcome commitment to trying to stamp it out. A draft Anti-Corruption Bill will include proposals for the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Commission and is awaiting Cabinet approval. The Bill will also seek to provide effective measures for the eradication, suppression and prevention of corruption and corrupt practices in both private and public life in The Gambia. The UK would welcome the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Commission. ​

South Africa: Land

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help end land seizures in South Africa.

Harriett Baldwin: President Ramaphosa has consistently stated that violent and illegal land seizures will not be tolerated and the police will respond to all incidents. Incidents where land seizures do occur further illustrate the need for South Africa to find a sustainable solution to the issue of land reform and the inequalities that persist today.

South Sudan: Peace Negotiations

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) continuing role of Thabo Mbeki in the South Sudan peace process and (b) effect of Thabo Mbeki's continuance in that role on prospects for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development talks on that peace process.

Harriett Baldwin: Former President Mbeki has chaired the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) since its inception in 2009. Mandated to support implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in 2005 in the wake of the Second Sudanese Civil War, the AUHIP supported the process that led to the independence of South Sudan and facilitated mediation efforts related to a number of Sudanese conflicts. The focus of the AUHIP will need to be considered in light of the removal of President Bashir by the Sudanese military on 11 April, but continued engagement by the African Union will be vital to supporting a transition to inclusive civilian rule in Sudan. While the AUHIP has been engaged constructively on some discreet areas of the broader regional conflict, the core South Sudan peace process has been led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, which delivered the Revitalised Agreement on the Conflict in South Sudan, signed on 12 September 2018. ​

Mediterranean Sea: Rescue Services

Rosie Duffield: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the stranding of the Alan Kurdi rescue vessel, what steps the Government is taking to help humanitarian missions on the Mediterranean sea as a result of migration from Libya.

Sir Alan Duncan: The UK Government welcomes the safe disembarkation of the 64 rescued migrants on board the German Non-Governmental Organisation-operated search and rescue vessel Alan Kurdi in Malta. This followed an EU-brokered agreement for the migrants to be relocated to four EU member states. We are concerned about the continued impasse over search and rescue in the central Mediterranean that has affected this and other recent search and rescue operations, in the absence of predictable disembarkation arrangements. The UK continues to work with our EU partners and internationally to find a solution and is committed to pursuing a whole of route approach, including upstream interventions, to tackle the causes of irregular migration across the Mediterranean.

Embassies: Huawei

Jo Platt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will conduct a survey of its embassies and residencies to determine whether physical Huawei telecoms equipment is utilised within those embassies and residences.

Sir Alan Duncan: There are no plans to conduct such a survey. Where communications are sensitive, data is encrypted to a suitable level, thereby safeguarding the information.

State Visits: USA

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which Government Ministers have plans to meet with President Trump during his upcoming state visit.

Sir Alan Duncan: Details of the visit programme will be set out in due course, but as with most State Visits it will include customary elements such as bilateral talks with the Prime Minister and meeting The Queen.

State Visits: USA

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which locations President Trump plans to visit during his state visit.

Sir Alan Duncan: Details of the visit programme will be set out in due course, but as with most State Visits it will include customary elements such as bilateral talks with the Prime Minister and meeting The Queen.

Libya: Politics and Government

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in the US Administration on that country's policy on the political situation in Libya.

Mark Field: ​The Foreign Secretary spoke on the phone with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on 19 April. There was agreement on the need to continue diplomatic efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Libya and the resumption of political talks. The UK remains actively engaged in international diplomatic efforts to promote a ceasefire, humanitarian access, and a return to the political process.

Sheikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what role his Department played in the appointment of Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammad Alkhalifa to become an Ambassador of Bahrain to the UK.

Mark Field: As per our standard practice, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office thoroughly reviews each State’s appointee as Head of Mission.

Poland: Ethnic Cleansing

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies on (a) human rights and (b) the rule of law of the reported words of Polish Law and Justice party Senator Grzegorz Bierecki on cleansing Poland.

Sir Alan Duncan: The UK has a proud history of encouraging, respecting, and promoting human rights and the rule of law. We regularly discuss both with Polish counterparts.

Iraq and Syria: Prisoners

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has held discussions with his US counterpart following reports that the US may be considering a mass transfer of prisoners from Kurdish-controlled areas of Syria to Iraq.

Mark Field: We will continue to work together with international partners, including the US, to find a sustainable, long-term solution to the complex issue of suspected Daesh terrorists, and in the pursuit of justice of those who have participated in terrorism overseas.

China: Animal Welfare

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has held with his Chinese counterpart on the Shanghai World Dog Show 2019 and animal welfare in that country.

Mark Field: I have not raised this issue with my Chinese counterpart. However, the Government is committed to raising standards of animal welfare at home and abroad. The sale and consumption of dog meat is legal in many countries, including China, and there are no international norms, laws or agreements governing this. We believe that it is necessary to work with governments around the world to gain agreement on animal welfare standards, and to phase out cruel and inhumane practices. There is no suggestion that the event will break any local or international laws.

USA: UN Resolutions

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on his Department's policies of the US Administration’s (a) recent threat to veto the UN motion on rape as a weapon of war and (b) alleged refusal to sign UN documents that refer to (i) gender and other trans-inclusive language and (ii) sexual and reproductive health and health services.

Mark Field: The UK voted in favour of UN Security Council Resolution 2467 on Sexual Violence in Conflict. We deeply regret that language recognising LGBT rights and the acute need for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for survivors of sexual violence in conflict does not appear in the final text.We continue to play an active role in the promotion and protection of LGBT rights and urge the international community to uphold the universality of human rights.The UK will continue to support the sexual and reproductive health and rights of survivors of sexual violence around the world. We firmly believe that doing so, through proven evidence-based public health interventions, saves lives and boosts prosperity.We will continue to work across Government and with all our partners, including other governments, the UN Population Fund and civil society, to deliver this.

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu

Dr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Ugandan counterpart on the reported arrest of the Member of the Ugandan Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin: Our High Commission in Kampala are aware of this incident and continue to monitor developments closely and raise concerns regarding Kyagulanyi's treatment with the Ugandan government. The UK supports freedom of expression as a fundamental human right and maintains that it is an essential quality of any functioning democracy. We regularly raise any concerns around civic and political issues directly with the Ugandan government

State Visits: USA

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of President Trump's planned state visit for 3-5 June 2019.

Sir Alan Duncan: The full programme is not yet finalised. Details will be released in due course. Costs will be released after the visit in the usual way.

Yemen: Peace Negotiations

Mr Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the recent escalation of military activity in Al Dhale’e, Yemen on the Stockholm process.

Mark Field: We are aware of the recent escalation of military activity in al-Dhale’e. All parties must engage constructively and in good faith to overcome obstacles and find a political solution to end the conflict. We urge all parties to support and facilitate the UN’s efforts and to implement the agreements reached during the Stockholm talks.​

Mexico: Religious Freedom

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of reports of attempted forced conversion, illegal fines, cutting of basic services and forcible displacement of people due to their religious beliefs in Mexico.

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to make representations to his Mexican counterpart on (a) monitoring at state level in Mexico the right of all children to receive an education and (b) intervening to protect this right including where children are barred from attending school due to the religious beliefs of their parents.

Sir Alan Duncan: Officials in the British Embassy in Mexico City have regular contact with the Government of Mexico and civil society groups, including Christian Solidarity Worldwide, to help inform our understanding of the human rights situation on the ground, including in matters of freedom of religion or belief. Mexico has close to universal access to basic education. Our assessment and that of the Government of Mexico is that there are some cases of attempted forced conversion, illegal fines, cutting of basic services and forcible displacement of people due to their religious beliefs, but they are isolated and not widespread or endemic. We will continue to work with civil society to identify when rare exceptions do occur. We will also continue to engage regularly with the Mexican authorities at Ministerial, official and state levels to discuss human rights, and other freedoms, and to support a broad human rights agenda in the country.

Cabinet Office

European Parliament: Elections

Catherine West: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to facilitate the registration of EU citizens to vote in the European parliamentary elections scheduled for 23 May 2019.

Kevin Foster: It remains the Government’s intention to leave the EU with a deal before the 23 May, so we do not need to participate in European Parliamentary elections.Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) maintain their own register for the area for which they are responsible. EROs should write to EU citizens informing them of their right to vote and request they confirm whether or not they wish to vote at a European parliamentary election in the UK or in their home country.Moreover, the Government has made registering to vote easier for all citizens, including those from the EU, with an online application taking as little as 5 minutes. The Individual Electoral Registration digital service has been a huge success, facilitating over 38 million applications; with over 75% of these being made online since its introduction in 2014.

Infant Mortality

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the child infant mortality rate in each National Statistics socio-economic classification category in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Foster: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Response
(PDF Document, 138.55 KB)




UKSA Response - Table 1
(Excel SpreadSheet, 36.39 KB)

Department for Work and Pensions: Sick Leave

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of work days lost due to absence and absenteeism as a result of (a) stress, (b) anxiety and (c) depression in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Foster: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.



UKSA Response
(PDF Document, 175.83 KB)

European Parliament: Elections

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost will be to the public purse of holding the elections to the European Parliament.

Kevin Foster: The Government has made it clear the UK intends to leave the EU with a deal and not take part in the European Parliamentary Elections (EPE) in May, however, all the necessary preparations will be made for the election to take place on 23 May.As is normal practice the relevant Charges Order sets out further action, however the full cost of the election would not be known until after the poll, should it take place, once all expenses claims have been received and settled and invoices paid.

Department of Health and Social Care

Family Nurse Partnership Programme

Emma Hardy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in what areas the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) programme is running; and how many FNPs have been running nationally since its inception.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Local authorities are responsible for commissioning the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) programme. Decisions on commissioning of the FNP programme are for individual local authorities based on their assessment of local needs and prioritisation; as such there will be variation. Public Health England manages the licence for the FNP programme in England.The areas in which the FNP programme is running is not held centrally.

Carers: Gender

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make a comparative assessment of the gender split of carers in (a) the UK, (b) England, (c) Scotland, (d) Wales and (e) Northern Ireland.

Caroline Dinenage: The 2011 census showed that in the United Kingdom approximately 42% of carers were men and 58% were women.The 2016/17 Survey of Adult Carers in England showed that in England approximately 33% of carers were male and 67% of carers were female.The gender split of carers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is not held centrally.

Health Services: Arts

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the role of the arts in social prescribing.

Caroline Dinenage: Social prescribing is a non-clinical intervention that enables general practitioners and other frontline healthcare professionals to refer people to ‘activities’ in their community, such as chess, book clubs, exercise groups, instead of offering only medicalised solutions.The first point of referral is usually a voluntary sector link worker who can talk to each person about the things that matter to them. Together they can co-produce a social prescription that will help to improve their health and wellbeing through access to activities and community groups that are of interest to them; this may include art-based activities.

Plastic Surgery: Insurance

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15 April 2019 to Question 242742 on Plastic Surgery: Insurance, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) redress and (b) safeguarding systems are accessible by members of the public who experience unacceptable treatment standards from non-regulated healthcare professionals providing aesthetic procedures.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Government is committed to improving the safety of cosmetic procedures through better training for practitioners, and clear information so that people can make informed decisions about their care.The Department is working with stakeholders, including professional associations, to review industry standards of practise as part of the manifesto commitment to ensure there is “effective registration and regulation of those performing cosmetic interventions”.We urge anyone seeking a cosmetic procedure to take the time to find a reputable, safe, and competent practitioner who is subject to statutory regulation, or on an accredited voluntary register overseen by the Professional Standards Authority. Using a registered practitioner provides assurance that they are appropriately qualified, registered and insured.

Plastic Surgery

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will reclassify dermal fillers as prescription-only medicines.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Currently, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency only regulates dermal fillers that are placed on the United Kingdom market as medical devices, as defined in the Medical Devices Regulations 2002. The majority of these products are intended to be used in reconstructive surgery, and thus they are considered to be medical devices, although some manufacturers also indicate their products for aesthetic use as well.Cosmetic dermal fillers placed on the market without any medical purpose being attributed to them by the manufacturer fall outside the scope of the Medical Devices Regulations, although in practice the majority of the products on the UK market are CE marked as medical devices.From May 2020 all dermal fillers, irrespective of their composition and intended use, will be regulated as medical devices under Annex XVI of the Medical Device Regulations (EU 2017/745). The Regulations will significantly strengthen the quality assurance and safety of dermal fillers and ensure a consistent legal status of these products on the UK market. This will lead to a stronger market surveillance of these products.Medical devices cannot be designated as ‘prescription only’, as this term only applies to medicinal products. The Government currently has no plans to introduce such a category for medical devices.The Government is committed to the safe and effective regulation of medical devices in the UK; we continue to strengthen safety while ensuring patients and the public have fast access to new, innovative devices.Through the ‘no deal’ statutory instrument, which will amend the Medical Devices Regulations 2002, the UK will have a regulatory system in place, which will mirror all the key elements contained in Medical Device Regulations (EU 2017/745) and which will be brought into force in line with the transitional timetable being followed by the European Union for the full application of this Regulation.

Mental Health Services

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria were used by his Department to decide on applications to train to be part of the Government mental health support teams.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Applicants to the Education Mental Health Practitioner training programme were asked to be able to demonstrate the ability to study at university undergraduate degree level as a minimum. A previous degree was not a minimum requirement, and applicants to the course were able to enter at two different levels:- Level 6 Undergraduate - the student will not require a degree to enter/ study on the programme at this level; and- Level 7 Postgraduate – the student will require a degree (or evidence of study at this level) to enter/study on the programme at this level.

Mental Health Services

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on the training programme for new mental health support teams; and if he will publish the content of that programme.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The role of Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP) will form a core part of the Mental Health Support Teams, working with and supervised by local children and young people’s mental health specialist staff who have undertaken EMHP supervisor training and alongside Senior Mental Health Leads in schools and colleges.The EMHP is a new role, the education and training of which has been commissioned by Health Education England. The EMHP training curriculum was developed by an expert reference group including Professor Peter Fonagy, Senior National Clinical Adviser on Children and Young People's Mental Health for NHS England, and is designed to be as accessible as possible and aims to widen participation in the mental health workforce. The one year training programme commenced in January 2019.EMHP trainees will:- be trained to deliver low intensity interventions with children, young people, and their parents/carers for common mental health problems; and- be taught the necessary knowledge and skills to work effectively in education settings and to support whole-school approaches to mental health.Details of the training programme have not been published.

Mental Health Services

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to integrate the new mental health support teams with existing services in (a) schools and (b) the NHS.

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to utilise the existing mental health practitioner workforce as part of its joint initiative on transforming children and young people’s mental health provision.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Mental Health Support Teams will work with and alongside existing professionals and will complement the ‘whole school’ approach to health and wellbeing, working with existing services in schools, the National Health Service, the voluntary sector and other professionals working with children and young people. The aim is for the teams to be delivered in a way that provides a focus for collaborative working.Each Mental Health Support Team will have a number of trained staff, including a new role of Education Mental Health Practitioners, supervised by existing, experienced mental health staff.

Mental Health Services

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria his Department used to decide which Care Commissioning Groups would be included in the pilots for the new mental health support teams.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The decision over where Mental Health Support Teams are sited is for local determination, based on criteria agreed between the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and the Department for Education. For the 2018-19 trailblazers, four essential criteria were used to help identify potential clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to be part of initial implementation, in order to ensure that sites would be able to mobilise within the tight timescales for that year and provide essential learning for subsequent waves:- Delivery of the Mental Health Investment Standard in 2017-18;- Data flowing to the Mental Health Services Dataset from the providers commissioned by CCGs to demonstrate access level above 20% of the population of children and young people;- That the CCG is not in special measures and that the main provider of children and young people’s mental health services is not rated inadequate; and- Proximity to a training site – within one hour by public transport or car.

Opiates: Misuse

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress Public Health England has made on its pledge to review the use of the phrase discontinuation syndrome as a means of describing opioid dependence.

Seema Kennedy: Public Health England (PHE) has not used the term ‘discontinuation syndrome’ to refer to opioid dependence. The term was used in the early stages of the Prescribed Medicines Review in relation to antidepressant medication as that was the only term recognised by some stakeholders at the time the review started.PHE did agree to review the use of the term and has done so. It persists in some older review documents but is not being included in current documents. Information and documents on the review are published at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prescribed-medicines-an-evidence-review

Mental Health Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of prescription rates of (a) mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and (b) anti-depressants as a means to treat and prevent mental ill health.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Data on prescribing mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is not collected. However, NHS England reports that the number of people accessing psychological therapies is rising, with 1.01 million people starting treatment in 2017-18.NHS Digital published data in March 2019 which indicated that the levels of prescriptions for antidepressants has risen in recent years.It is important that increasing numbers of antidepressant prescriptions are not automatically seen as a bad thing, as research has shown they can be very effective drugs when used appropriately.It is the responsibility of all prescribers to prescribe responsibly and appropriately, to meet the individual needs of their patients. There is a place for both drugs and psychological therapies in the treatment of mental health conditions.

Autism and Learning Disability: Psychiatric Hospitals

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2019 to Question 238347 on Autism and Learning Disability: Psychiatric Hospitals, whether the target in the NHS Long Term Plan to reduce the number of children with a learning disability, autism or both in an inpatient unit by 2023-24 is measured against per one million adults or per one million children.

Caroline Dinenage: The target in the NHS Long Term Plan is to reduce the number of children with a learning disability, autism or both in a specialist inpatient unit to a level equivalent to no more than 12 to 15 children per one million children in England by 2023-24.

UK Antimicrobial Resistance Diagnostics Collaborative

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will publish the data produced by Antimicrobial Resistance Diagnostics Collaborative.

Seema Kennedy: Professor Dame Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer for NHS England, leads work to deliver the Government’s ambitions for diagnostics as part of the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) strategy. NHS England established the UK AMR Diagnostics Collaborative to support delivery of the United Kingdom’s diagnostics ambitions for AMR and development of the diagnostics elements of the new UK five-year national action plan on AMR, published in January this year.The Department continues to work closely with the UK AMR Diagnostics Collaborative. NHS England advises that there are currently no plans to publish its data, but this may be revised in future.

Antibiotics: Drug Resistance

Mr Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2019 to Question 231971, if his Department will publish its plans for the implementation of Tackling antimicrobial resistance (2019-2024): The UK’s five-year national action plan; when this plan will be implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Seema Kennedy: The Department is working closely with delivery partners across Government to finalise governance arrangements and implementation plans for the commitments set out in the United Kingdom’s five-year national action plan for antimicrobial resistance. Agreed implementation arrangements will be shared as soon as practicable.

NHS: Pensions

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to recognise Humanist marriages for the purpose of paying an NHS survivors pension to spouses of deceased pension holders.

Stephen Hammond: Whilst Humanist marriage ceremonies do not have legal force in England and Wales, the NHS Pension Schemes do provide generous survivor benefits for cohabiting couples who are not legally married. The Department routinely considers making changes to NHS Pension Scheme rules to take account of developments in the law governing marriage and civil partnerships.

Prescription Drugs

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to publish Public Health England's Prescribed medicines: an evidence review.

Seema Kennedy: Public Health England plans to publish ‘prescribed medicines: an evidence review’ in summer 2019.

General Practitioners: Standards

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent estimate he has made of the time taken to obtain non-emergency GP appointments in (a) England and (b) Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement.

Seema Kennedy: The time between booking an appointment with a general practice and having the appointment (in days) for the practices where data is currently collected in Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group is presented in the following table for the last available published date, February 2019. A 12- month average from March 2018-February 2019 has also been presented along with a comparison to the average across all appointments in England. NHS Digital’s ‘Appointments in General Practice’ data is published monthly with a two-month time lag.The appointments data does not differentiate between emergency and routine appointments in general practice and the ‘time from booking to appointment’ does not take into consideration that many patients will be appropriately booking ahead as part of the continuity of care they receive for long-term conditions.The data on general practitioner (GP) appointments are from a new data collection and are still experimental therefore the data and collection method are still being refined and improved. Whilst these early datasets published by NHS Digital do not yet represent a comprehensive picture, they are an important key step in understanding pressures on primary care. NHS England, NHS Digital and the government are working closely with GPs to understand how the data on GP appointments can be refined to improve the overall picture of primary care activity.   GloucestershireEnglandGloucestershireEnglandTime between booking an appointment with a general practice and having the appointment (days)February 2019March 2018 to February 2019Same Day38.3%42.3%37.5%42.2%One Day6.2%6.8%6.5%6.8%Two to Seven Days19.2%19.8%20.0%20.1%Eight to 14 Days15.4%14.4%14.8%13.8%15 to 21 Days9.1%7.6%8.6%7.4%22 to 28 Days6.4%5.1%6.4%5.0%More than 28 Days5.4%4.0%6.3%4.7%Total100.0%100.0%100.0%100.0%

Mental Illness

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he made of the prevalance of diagnosed mental health conditions in each National Statistics socio-economics classification category in each of the last 10 years.

Jackie Doyle-Price: Public Health England assessed the prevalence of common mental health disorders in the population by age group, sex and deprivation quintile. Estimates are based on data from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, a survey of mental health problems taken every seven years and last undertaken in 2014.Estimates show an increase of common mental disorders in men and women with increasing deprivation, across all age groups (16-24, 25-65 and 65 and over).The analysis by Public Health England is published by NHS Digital and can be viewed at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/find-data-and-publications/supplementary-information/2019-supplementary-information-files/supplementary-analysis-of-prevalence-of-common-mental-health-disorders-by-age-group-gender-and-deprivation

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the cost of residential care for the elderly.

Caroline Dinenage: The Government has given councils access to around £10 billion more dedicated funding for social care from 2017/18 to 2019/20. The 2018 Autumn Budget also announced that a further £410 million is available in 2019/20 to improve social care for older people, people with disabilities and children.Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are required to shape their local markets to ensure that they are sustainable, diverse and offer high quality care and support. Councils have statutory duties to meet the social care needs of the elderly, disabled and vulnerable people in their area.This Government is also committed to ensuring that the social care system is sustainable in the longer term, which is why we will be publishing a Green Paper at the earliest opportunity, setting out our proposals for reform. This will include ideas for including an element of risk pooling in the system, to protect people from the highest costs and improve consumer choice and protection.

Health Services: EU Nationals

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to issue guidance to NHS staff on EU citizens with settled status and access to NHS care.

Stephen Hammond: The Government has made clear that the rights of European Union citizens in the United Kingdom on exit day will be protected, and this includes being able to access National Health Service care without charge. It should be noted that EU citizens already living in the UK on exit day have up until 31 December 2020 to apply for Settled Status, but their access to healthcare will remain the same regardless of whether they apply for Settled Status up to then. The Department has already updated operational guidance and websites with the latest information for both EU citizens who wish to access NHS healthcare upon exiting the EU to EU citizens who are NHS staff. Further guidance and information will be published in due course.

Primodos

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons his Ministers declined to meet with members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on hormone pregnancy tests to discuss the scientific review set up to consider the effects of the drug primodos on pregnant women.

Jackie Doyle-Price: In November 2017 the Expert Working Group established by the Commission on Human Medicines to review hormone pregnancy tests concluded that the available evidence did not support a causal association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. At that time the Government made a commitment to evaluate carefully any new evidence. In February 2018 the Government asked Baroness Cumberlege to undertake a review into patients’ concerns and how these were responded to, and to advise what further action may be required.Since then, a new ad hoc Expert Group of the Commission on Human Medicines has been convened to consider the recent meta-analysis published by Heneghan et al. of clinical studies. An independent review of this publication is also being conducted in parallel by the European Medicines Agency via a formal referral under European Union legal provisions. Both of these scientific reviews are ongoing and the conclusions will be made public when complete, likely in May.While the review by Baroness Cumberlege into what further action may be required in the case of hormone pregnancy tests is ongoing, and pending the findings of the scientific reviews of Heneghan et al., the Government considers that it would be premature to have a further meeting with the All Party Parliamentary Group.

Department for International Development

Gambia: International Assistance

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of (a) EU aid and (b) UK bilateral aid to The Gambia on (i) democratic transition, (ii) economic growth, (iii) human rights, (iv) youth unemployment, (v) poverty, (vi) inequality and (vii) protection of the environment.

Harriett Baldwin: The EU is set to provide Gambia with a €250m package of assistance between 2014 and 2021 focused around governance, rule of law, inclusive sustainable growth, job creation, climate change, energy and infrastructure. One programme, an €11m youth empowerment project, seeks to tackle the root causes of irregular migration through increased job opportunities and income prospects for youth. 7000 youths will complete a technical or vocational training programme or an apprenticeship and 8000 will receive entrepreneurship support services such as access to finance. The UK’s bilateral country programme in Gambia closed in 2012 but limited support is provided by regional and thematic programmes, including for family planning supplies and on migration, for instance to strengthen protection systems for children on the move in the Gambia.

Gambia: Refugees

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department has (a) funded and (b) provided for refugees returning to The Gambiain for (a) reintegration and (b) employment.

Harriett Baldwin: The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) is our primary tool to address the root causes of irregular migration, including the reintegration and unemployment of returning migrants, in Gambia. There are currently three EUTF projects operating in the Gambia which have assisted 4000 people to develop income generating activities, provided 4000 people with technical and vocational education training and skills development, and reached 122,500 migrants and potential migrants with an information campaign on migration and the risks of irregular migration.

Gambia: Credit Unions

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department provides support to the National Association of Cooperative Credit Unions of Gambia.

Harriett Baldwin: We do not directly support the National Association of Cooperative Credit Unions of Gambia and nor are we aware of any indirect support via our partners.

South Africa: Overseas Aid

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much Official Development Assistance her Department has allocated to South Africa in each of the last two years; and how much (ODA) her Department plans to allocate to that country in the next two years.

Harriett Baldwin: DFID’s bilateral development programme in South Africa ended in 2015. Since that time DFID has focused on providing some limited technical assistance and establishing a regional and global development partnership with South Africa. The development programmes focus on peace and security and climate change.DFID spent £3.6 million and £4.8 million on such support in 2017 and 2018 respectively, with £5.4 million allocated for 2019/20. Plans for 2020/21 have not been finalised.

Overseas Aid

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which countries her Department has stopped allocating Official Development Assistance to in the last 12 months.

Harriett Baldwin: UK aid aims to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and the Government's objectives as set out in the 2015 UK Aid Strategy. The latest published statistics for UK aid spend (Statistics on International Development: Final UK Aid spend 2017) show the Department for International Development did not cease to spend Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2017 in any country which received ODA in the previous year (2016). Country-specific data for 2018 will be published in the autumn.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department has allocated to the promotion of universal health coverage.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 11 April 2019 to Question 241478.

Developing Countries: Health Services

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage developing countries to investing in their health care systems through domestic resources.

Harriett Baldwin: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 11 April 2019 to Question 241479.

Developing Countries: Infant Mortality

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that child survival is on the agenda at this year’s high-level global meetings.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK is a strong advocate for the achievement of universal health coverage to ensure child survival, though strengthening health systems – a key issue for this year’s UN General Assembly. The UK invests around £1 billion per year through bilateral aid programmes in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, and our support to Gavi, the vaccines alliance, has contributed to the safe vaccination of over 700 million children. The UK will host Gavi’s replenishment in 2020, a demonstration of our continuing commitment to support efforts to save children’s lives from preventable diseases.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to strengthen community engagement in its response to the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Harriett Baldwin: Community engagement remains one of the key challenges in this Ebola response. UK Aid has supported research by Social Science in Humanitarian Action to understand community concerns and the inherently complex social and political context of the affected areas.We are working with the key implementing partners to adapt approaches to the very varied local contexts – including working with trusted local leaders and religious groups. Experience from the devastating outbreak of 2014-2016 in West Africa shows that the response will not be able to contain the outbreak until there is sufficient community understanding, acceptance and ownership, all of which is made more difficult in eastern DRC given the active conflict.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to lead donor efforts to support regional (a) preparedness and (b) contingency planning in response to the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and what steps she is taking to consult with NGOs on those efforts.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK is the leading donor for regional preparedness, focusing on Priority 1 countries (Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan) and supporting steps such as vaccination of front-line health workers. DFID officials will attend the Kampala Conference on Regional Preparedness at the end of this month. This will provide us a further opportunity to work closely with other donors and to press the World Health Organisation to develop a clear resource mobilisation strategy and plans for further preparedness activities. We also continue to support preparedness and contingency planning in currently unaffected areas in the DRC. Much of this work involves discussions with key non-governmental agencies and organisations around the roles they are playing and could play, making sure we take their views and needs into account in terms of the response as it develops.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ebola

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the level of Ebola misinformation in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and what steps her Department is taking to promote understanding and awareness of that disease.

Harriett Baldwin: We are concerned that misinformation severely hampers efforts to fight the spread of Ebola in the DRC. Recognising this, the response is making substantial efforts to combat the spread of misinformation through social and print media, radio shows, and engagement with community and religious leaders.The UK continues to support the implementing partners, recognising the need for the response to strengthen engagement with communities to better understand and integrate their needs and concerns.

Department for International Development: Staff

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2019 to Question 239838 on Department for International Development: Secondment, how many Departmental staff are currently based and working on projects and programmes in (a) Pakistan, (b) Ethiopia, (c) Nigeria, (d) South Sudan, (e) Yemen and (f) Syria.

Harriett Baldwin: The below table outlines the number of HCS (Home Civil Servant) staff based in each country as at 31 March 2019. Information on the number of staff working on projects and programmes in these countries is not held centrally.LocationNo. of staff based in locationPakistan36Ethiopia25Nigeria27South Sudan21YemenNilSyriaNil

Department for International Development: Wales

Tonia Antoniazzi: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many companies based in Wales had contracts from her Department in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19; and what the value of each such contract was.

Harriett Baldwin: In 2017-2018 two Welsh based organisations had a live contract and a grant worth £6.7 million. In 2018-19 there were no companies registered in Wales awarded DFID contracts.DFID are undertaking a schedule of regional Open for Business events across the country to help local businesses make the most of opportunities to deliver UK Aid. An Open for Business event took place in Cardiff last year and was attended by 52 Welsh companies. These events are an opportunity for two-way communication to encourage companies to compete for DFID business to share their vital skills and expertise and understand the simplified process for contract applications.

Gaza: Health Professions

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help protect Palestinian health workers in Gaza.

Harriett Baldwin: We are clear that no health workers or aid workers anywhere should be at risk of violence. The UK continually monitors the humanitarian situation in Gaza and we are aware of the significant strain on the health sector and health workers. We regularly raise with the Government of Israel the urgent need to ease all access and movement restrictions on Gaza, including for health workers. In particular we have stressed the importance of protecting civilians, especially children and medical personnel. We have recently announced that we will be providing £2 million to the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) Appeal to contribute to the delivery of urgently needed surgical equipment, medicines, wound dressing kits, prosthetic limbs and post-surgery physiotherapy. We continue to closely monitor the humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and are considering providing further humanitarian support in 2019.

Gaza: Health Services

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development,  what steps her Department is taking to ensure Official Development Assistance allocated to Gaza supports the sustainable development of Gaza's health system.

Harriett Baldwin: DFID is aware of the continual strain Gaza’s health system faces. The UK is committed to alleviating the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Last month, DFID announced new funding to the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) to deliver urgently needed surgical equipment, medicines, wound dressing kits, prosthetic limbs and post-surgery physiotherapy. It will also help to provide physical rehabilitation services for up to 3,000 disabled people. The UK continues to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary steps to ensure Gaza’s reconstruction and economic recovery. Restrictions in Gaza were most recently raised with the PA in January 2019 by a UK Government official.

India: LGBT People

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to help increase the number of facilities that offer medical treatment and services for LGBT people in India.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK provides medical treatment and services for LGBT people in India through the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. The UK contribution to the current Fifth Replenishment of the Global Fund (2017-2019) is £1.2 billion. The Global Fund allocation to India over this period is $500million USD. This support includes funding for services directly benefiting LGBT people, including HIV counselling and support centres for transgender people. Through the Global Fund, in partnership with the Indian Government, we are investing in diagnosis and treatments, helping ensure that all people have access to quality health services.

Nepal: Leprosy

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to help tackle leprosy in Nepal.

Harriett Baldwin: Through the UK Aid Match scheme, DFID is match-funding The Leprosy Mission’s fund-raising appeal “Heal Nepal” that launched on 27th January. The UK Government matched pound-for-pound donations made by the UK public until 27th April 2019, up to £2 million.Through this appeal, The Leprosy Mission will fund projects aimed at improving the health, dignity and wellbeing of people affected by leprosy and lymphatic filariasis in the areas where these diseases are most endemic in southern Nepal.

Zimbabwe: Food

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department taking to tackle the food shortage in Zimbabwe.

Harriett Baldwin: An estimated 5.3 million rural and urban Zimbabweans are food insecure due to the combination of poor rains, a deteriorating economic situation and the impact of Cyclone Idai. DFID has already contributed £4 million to assist 116,000 food insecure people via small cash grants delivered by the World Food Programme, a UN agency. DFID also added £1 million to its ongoing support to resilience building, enabling 43,500 people to benefit from agricultural and water-related assistance. Plans for additional assistance are currently being formulated.

Sri Lanka: Terrorism

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department has offered to the Sri Lankan Government as a result of the series of attacks on churches in that country.

Harriett Baldwin: The Secretary of State has condemned the attacks and offered her condolences to those affected. DFID is not providing support to the Sri Lankan government - DFID’s bilateral programme in Sri Lanka closed in 2006 when the country graduated to middle income status. In 2016 (most recent figures), the UK’s attributed share of core multilateral funding to Sri Lanka was £30.417m, primarily through the World Bank. This includes £8.3 million of the FCO’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) programme focused on post-conflict community reconciliation and the Global Mine Action Programme which helps to build peace and support development in countries affected by landmines.

Palestinians: International Assistance

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to contribute funding to the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan for the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Harriett Baldwin: We continue to closely monitor the humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) and are considering providing further humanitarian support in 2019. Last year we provided £2 million to UNICEF which was included in the 2018 Humanitarian Response Plan for the OPTs. This support has helped reduce the spread of disease in Gaza by disinfecting water in 280 water wells, 48 desalination plants, and 40 water reservoirs.We have also recently announced a new package of £2 million to the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC) to support Gaza’s struggling health sector. This funding is contributing to the delivery of surgical equipment, drugs and disposables, wound dressing kits, and rehabilitative prosthetics. It will also help to provide physical rehabilitation services for up to 3,000 disabled people. This support is fully in line with the objectives of the 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan.

Department for International Development: Staff

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2019 to Question 243539, how many of those 78 DFID staff were moved from existing roles within the Department.

Harriett Baldwin: 68 staff were in existing roles working internally to support projects related to the UK leaving the EU, with and without a deal. The additional 10 worked flexibly on EU Exit related priorities whilst maintaining parts of other roles, in line with DFID’s EU Exit prioritisation methodology which protects essential business.

Gaza: Non-governmental Organisations

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of increased restrictions on (a) personnel and (b) material entering the Gaza strip on the work of NGOs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Harriett Baldwin: We continually monitor and remain deeply concerned about restrictions on movement and access in Gaza, and the impact that this is having on the humanitarian situation. Recognising the challenges, the UK has committed to an extension of support for the UN Access Coordination Unit (ACU) until 2021 which works to facilitate humanitarian access for UN and NGO workers. DFID has also allocated £1.8 million for the Materials Monitoring Unit (MMU) of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM) since it was established in October 2014. The GRM/MMU was set up to facilitate timely access of large amounts of construction materials into Gaza and enable Gazan citizens, families and businesses to get access to reconstruction materials following widespread destruction in the 2014 conflict. We continue to call on the Israeli Government to ease movement and access restrictions for Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian impact of the recent escalation of military activity in Al Dhale’e, Yemen.

Harriett Baldwin: We are concerned about reports of intensified fighting in the governorate of Al Dhale’e. The UN estimates that 35,000 people have been displaced since the fighting escalated, with the area becoming increasingly challenging for humanitarian actors, who are struggling to gain access. Humanitarian agencies, including the World Food Programme, continue to operate across Al Dhale’e under extremely difficult circumstances in order to provide vital assistance such as food, healthcare and clean water. The UK is clear that there can be no military solution to this conflict. A political settlement is the only way to provide long term stability to Yemen and address the worsening humanitarian crisis; we encourage further constructive engagement from both parties to achieve this.

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made on the ability of humanitarian organisations to operate in Al Dhale’e, Yemen.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK is closely engaging with organisations delivering humanitarian assistance in Al Dhale’e governorate to establish the severity of the operating conditions they are facing and the impact this is having on the humanitarian response. Although some organisations, such as the World Food Programme, have been able to continue humanitarian operations, recent intensified fighting has caused access to deteriorate and resulted in some organisations, such as the International Rescue Committee, ceasing operations in affected areas.

Yemen: Humanitarian Aid

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure humanitarian organisations are able to operate in Al Dhale’e, Yemen.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK is closely engaging with organisations delivering humanitarian assistance in Al Dhale’e governorate to establish the severity of the operating conditions they are facing and the impact this is having on the humanitarian response.We continue to raise humanitarian concerns, calling on both parties to the conflict to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2451 by facilitating safe, rapid, and unhindered access for both the humanitarian response and commercial supplies.

Department for Education

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Blackburn with Darwen

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Blackburn with Darwen has a PFI funded Building Schools for the Future Programme.

Nick Gibb: Holding answer received on 25 April 2019



The Department can confirm Blackburn with Darwen has a private finance funded Building Schools for the Future Programme. PFI contracts were signed in 2010.

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Blackpool

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Blackpool has a PFI funded Priority Schools Building Programme.

Nick Gibb: Holding answer received on 25 April 2019



There are 2 schools in Blackpool which are included in the Priority School Building Programme privately financed North West batch signed in 2015.

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Cheshire

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding has been allocated to the (a) Cheshire West and (b) Chester Batch 5 North West Schools Programme under PFI; and what the (a) unitary charges and (b) cost was of each project.

Nick Gibb: Holding answer received on 25 April 2019



Information on private finance initiative and private finance 2 data for current and in procurement projects published by HM Treasury can be found at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-finance-initiative-and-private-finance-2-projects-2017-summary-data.The schools within the Priority School Building Programme private finance North West batch (signed in 2015) which are located in Cheshire West & Chester are Blacon High School, Dee Point Primary School and JH Godwin Primary School.

Overseas Students: EU Nationals

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether EU nationals will be eligible for (a) home fee status and (b) financial support when enrolled for UK higher education courses in the academic year 2020-21.

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the Government's timescale is for deciding the (a) fee status and (b) loan eligibility of EU undergraduate students enrolled on UK higher education courses in the academic year 2020-21.

Chris Skidmore: We recognise how important it is that students and institutions have information on eligibility for student support before applications for courses open.Applications for courses starting in academic year 2020/21 do not open until September 2019. We will ensure students and institutions have the information they need well in advance of that date.

Schools: Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the (a) names, (b) unitary charges and (c) cost of all PFI funded schools in Dudley Grid for Learning.

Nick Gibb: Holding answer received on 25 April 2019



The information requested is not held centrally. Data in relation to Dudley Grid for Learning is held by Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council.

Pupil Exclusions

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the correlation between off-rolling pupils and inadequate mental health services in schools.

Nick Gibb: The law is clear that a pupil’s name can only be deleted from the admission register on the grounds prescribed in regulation 8 of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended. The regulation can be found here: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/1751/regulation/8/made.Pupils leave school rolls for many reasons including: permanent exclusion, moving to another school, or changes of circumstances (as when a pupil moves to a new area). All schools must notify the local authority when a pupil’s name is to be deleted from the admission register.Statutory guidance on exclusions is also clear that ‘informal’ or ‘unofficial’ exclusions are unlawful, regardless of whether they occur with the agreement of parents or carers. Any exclusion of a pupil, even for short periods of time, must be formally recorded.The Department wrote to all secondary schools last summer, reminding them of the rules surrounding exclusion.Ofsted has also issued guidance to inspectors, reminding them to be alert to this matter. The guidance makes clear that instances of off-rolling should be discussed with the school during the inspection, and should inform the evaluation of the school.The Government is making sure that there is better access to specialist mental health support and treatment for pupils that need it. Under the NHS Long Term Plan mental health services will continue to receive a growing share of the NHS budget, with funding to grow by at least £2.3 billion a year by 2023/24. For the first time, funding for children and young people’s mental health services will grow faster than both overall NHS funding and total mental health spending. This will mean that by 2023/24 an extra 345,000 children and young people aged 0-25 will receive mental health support via NHS-funded mental health services and school or college-based Mental Health Support Teams.

Apprentices: Birkenhead

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding from the apprenticeship levy has been allocated to placements in Birkenhead constituency; how many of those placements in have been funded in Birkenhead constituency; and how many businesses in have received funding from the apprenticeship levy to provide placements in Birkenhead constituency.

Anne Milton: Employers in England who pay the levy can access funds for apprenticeship training via registering for an apprenticeship service account. Many levy-paying employers operate in more than one location, and they are free to spend the funds in their accounts on apprenticeship training across England. The Education and Skills Funding Agency cannot therefore disaggregate levy drawdown to individual regions or locations.In 2019-20 funding available for investment in apprenticeships in England will be over £2.5 billion, double what was spent in 2010-11.There were 850 apprenticeship starts in Birkenhead in 2017/18, and there have been 10,980 starts in the constituency since 2010.

T-levels: Birkenhead

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the timeframe is for Further Education providers in Birkenhead constituency to begin offering T-levels; and when he plans for the roll-out of those qualifications in Birkenhead constituency.

Anne Milton: In the 'T Level Action Plan 2018' we confirmed that T levels will be introduced in phases, starting from September 2020, and gave details of when we currently expect each T level to be available from. Providers have been selected to deliver T levels in 2020 and the selection process to identify providers to deliver T levels in 2021 closed in February. We will confirm the results in June. We expect to confirm which providers will be able to deliver T levels from 2022 this autumn. Our aim is for all remaining T levels to be introduced by September 2023.

Qualifications: Gender

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the achievement gap in qualifications between male and female pupils in schools.

Nadhim Zahawi: This government is determined to deliver an education system that offers world-class education to every pupil, and ensures that all children and young people – regardless of their gender, ethnicity or background – have the opportunity to go as far as their talents and hard work will take them.Our ongoing education reforms are intended to set the highest expectations for what all school-age pupils will achieve. We have put in place a stretching national curriculum and world-class qualifications, and performance measures that encourage more pupils to study GCSEs in the academic subjects that most enable progress to higher education. We have also introduced the Attainment 8 and Progress 8 measures, which are designed to focus the attention of secondary schools on the academic progress that every pupil makes between the end of primary school and the end of key stage 4, as well as their achievement in GCSEs.We have given head teachers flexibility over the resources allocated to their schools, so that they can determine what provision to put in place to ensure that every pupil – boys and girls alike – is engaged, challenged and can achieve to the best of their abilities. The national funding formula for schools includes a low prior attainment factor, to help schools put support in place for those pupils who did not reach the expected standard in national assessments at the end of the previous phase of education. We also continue to provide additional funding to schools through the pupil premium in order to improve the progress and attainment of pupils from financially disadvantaged family backgrounds.

Schools: Discrimination

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to prevent sexism in schools.

Nick Gibb: The Equality Act makes it unlawful for a school to discriminate against or treat a pupil less favourably because of protected characteristics. Under the Public Sector Equality Duty, schools that are public bodies have a general duty to have regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and to advance equality of opportunity between different groups and foster good relations between different groups. In November 2018, the Department published Respectful School Communities, a self-review and signposting tool that supports schools in developing a whole-school approach that promotes respect and discipline. This can combat sexual bullying, sexual harassment, and prejudice and helps schools to identify the various elements that make up a whole school approach, consider gaps in their current practice, and get further support. The Respectful School Communities review is available here: https://educateagainsthate.com/school-leaders/?filter=guidance-and-training-school-leaders. The Department is making relationships education compulsory for all primary pupils, relationships and sex education compulsory for all secondary pupils, and health education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools from September 2020. The draft guidance sets out that pupils will be taught about the importance of developing healthy, respectful and positive relationships. Pupils should also know about the negative impact of discrimination, what a stereotype is, and how stereotypes, including those based on gender, can be unfair, negative or destructive. Advice is also available for schools and colleges on how to prevent and respond to reports of sexual violence and harassment between children. It sets out what to do if there are incidents of this kind in the school.

Apprentices: Pay

Tracy Brabin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, on what date the Government will publish the results of the Apprenticeship Pay Survey 2018.

Anne Milton: A publication date has not been set yet. The report is still being drafted and we will set a publication date once we have a final version of the report.

Schools: Inspections

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons the draft Ofsted education inspection framework does not include special references to groups of learners such as young carers.

Nadhim Zahawi: This is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman. I have asked her to write to you directly and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Special Educational Needs: Visual Impairment

Sir Vince Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he plans to take to ensure that the increase in funding for special needs provision meets the needs of the visually impaired.

Nadhim Zahawi: The Children and Families Act (2014) requires local authorities to work with parents, young people, and providers to keep the provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities under review, including its sufficiency.We do not prescribe in detail how local authorities should allocate their high needs funding. In consultation with schools and other services, local authorities should consider carefully how best to meet the needs of children and young people in their area, including those with vision impairment.To support local authorities, in December 2018 we announced an additional £250 million high needs funding up to 2020, on top of the funding increases we had already committed. This brings the total allocated for high needs in 2019-2020 to £6.3 billion and will help local authorities to manage the significant pressures on their high needs budgets.

Schools: Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the (a) names, (b) unitary charges, (c) costs and (d) project names of all PFI funded schools in Leeds.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Schools: Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the (a) names, (b) unitary charges (c) costs and (d) project names of all PFI funded schools in Sandwell.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Schools: Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the (a) names, (b) unitary charges (c) costs and (d) project names of all PFI funded schools in Tameside.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Stopsley School: Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which PFI progamme includes the Sopsley High School in Luton; and who the shareholders of the Special-Purpose Vehicle for that school are.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Schools: Private Finance Initiative

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which PFI programme includes the Joining Schools Project in Newham; and who the shareholders of the Special-Purpose Vehicle for that school are.

Nick Gibb: The Department for Education has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Environment Protection: Curriculum

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of strengthening the provision of environmental education in the curriculum.

Nick Gibb: It is important that children are taught about the environment, and there is already a good level of content about this in both the geography and science curricula and qualifications. This begins in year one of primary school where pupils are encouraged to explore their local environment to identify the many different plants, including trees, and find out about animals in their habitat.Other topics in the primary curriculum include how weather changes across the four seasons and looking at how environments can change as a result of human actions. In secondary school science pupils are taught about how changes in the environment affect different species, the importance of maintaining biodiversity and the production of carbon dioxide by human activity, and the effect this has on the climate. This is expanded on in GCSE science, where pupils will consider the evidence for additional anthropogenic causes of climate change. As part of GCSE geography pupils will look at the causes, consequences of and responses to extreme weather conditions and natural weather hazards.The Department is also funding the Children and Nature Programme, a £10 million programme that aims to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds to have better access to the natural environment. This includes studying about nature and how to care for the natural environment.

Pupils: Work Experience

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to introduce compulsory work experience for secondary school students.

Anne Milton: The careers statutory guidance makes it clear that schools should offer experiences of work and other employer-based encounters as part of their careers strategy for pupils from year 8 to year 13. Schools are free to decide how this is delivered. The Gatsby Benchmarks also recommend that secondary schools offer every young person at least 7 encounters with employers throughout their education.We want all young people, irrespective of their background, to learn from employers about work and the skills that are valued in the workplace. Activities involving employers, such as careers insights, mentoring, work tasters and work experience, are crucial in giving young people the skills that they need to succeed.That is why we are funding the Careers & Enterprise Company to help connect schools and colleges with employers in order to provide meaningful encounters with the world of work for young people. They do this through their Enterprise Adviser Network, Careers Hubs and investment funds. We are also working with the Careers & Enterprise Company to better understand the barriers that students face in accessing work experience.

Schools: Counselling

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to conduct research on the adequacy of counselling services provided in schools in England.

Nick Gibb: School based counselling by well-qualified practitioners can play an effective role as part of a ‘whole school’ approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing. It is for schools to decide what support to put in place based on the particular needs of their pupils.The Department has no plans to make a specific assessment of counselling services provided in schools. However, the Department's nationally representative survey of school provision published in 2017 indicated that 61% of schools offer counselling services, with 84% of secondary schools providing their pupils with access to counselling support.[1] To support schools to provide counselling, the Government has provided advice on how to deliver high quality school-based counselling, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools.The Government is introducing new mental health support teams to provide additional support linked to groups of schools and colleges. The first teams are being set up in 25 areas of the country this year. The aim is for these teams to work together with existing provision, including school-based counselling. The Government will evaluate their introduction to ensure that they do not displace existing provision. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/634726/Supporting_Mental-Health_survey_report.pdf.

Erasmus+ Programme

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many school (a) teachers and (b) pupils have benefited from Erasmus programmes in each of the last five years.

Chris Skidmore: Statistics about the number of individuals participating in international mobilities through the Erasmus+ programme are available on the European Commission website: https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/about/statistics_en.Data are available covering the 2014, 2015 and 2016 call years are as below: Year201420152016Numbers of school staff mobilities outgoing from the UK1,0671,1471,393Number of teachers in England4,549,0004,569,0004,573,000% of school staff participating in international mobilities0.02%0.03%0.03% Figures taken from the School Workforce in England, 2014, 2015, 2016 https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-workforce. These will include teachers but also wider school staff. Numbers of school pupils participating in international mobilities through the Erasmus+ programme are not available. These statistics give numbers of individuals who have travelled on international mobilities but will not reflect the full number of teachers and pupils who will have otherwise benefited from the Erasmus+ programme, for example through strategic partnerships and cooperative projects. It is not possible to quantify the total numbers of school staff and pupils who will have benefited. Comparing the number of school staff mobilities to the number of teachers in England gives a sense of the proportion that benefit from the Erasmus+ programme. These figures give the number of teachers working in state-funded schools in England only. They do not include the number of teachers working at other types of schools in the UK eg independent schools, who are also eligible to participate in the Erasmus+ programme.

Schools: Rural Areas

Maria Caulfield: What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on additional funding for rural schools.

Nick Gibb: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, meets Treasury ministers regularly to discuss matters of shared interest, including funding for schools.The Department provides additional support aimed at rural schools. For example, the sparsity factor in the National Funding Formula allocates £25 million specifically to schools that are both small and remote.

Literacy: Teaching Methods

Maggie Throup: What recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of teaching early literacy through phonics.

Nick Gibb: There is a significant body of evidence that demonstrates that systematic phonics is a highly effective method for teaching early reading. According to the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), phonics approaches have been consistently found to be effective in supporting younger readers to master the basics of reading, with an average impact of an additional four months’ progress. Research suggests that phonics is particularly beneficial for younger pupils (four to seven year olds) as they begin to read. Teaching phonics is more effective on average than other approaches to early reading (such as whole language or alphabetic approaches), though it should be emphasised that effective phonics techniques are usually embedded in a rich literacy environment for early readers and are only one part of a successful literacy strategy[1].In 2018 there were 163,000 more six year olds in England on track to become fluent readers compared to 2012. This represented 82% of pupils meeting the expected standard in the phonics screening check, compared to just 58% when the check was introduced in 2012.The Department is investing £26 million in a national network of English hubs to support local schools in developing their teaching practice, with a focus on systematic phonics, early language development and reading for pleasure. There are now 34 such hubs, based in primary schools across England.[1] EEF Phonics Teaching and Learning Toolkit, updated August 2018 (available at: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/evidence-summaries/teaching-learning-toolkit/phonics/).

Ministry of Justice

Offenders: Electronic Tagging

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2019 to Question 234706 on Offenders: Electronic Tagging, how many offenders have taken part in each of the GPS electronic tagging pilots in each month since the pilots started.

Rory Stewart: The tables below provide information on the number of individuals on a GPS tag per month during the Ministry of Justice GPS pilot. The Pilot ran in two regional police force clusters: the Midlands (Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and West Midlands) and BeNCH (Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire). The learning from the Pilot has been incorporated into the new national location monitoring service announced by the Secretary of State on 16 February. This will help strengthen supervision, enforce exclusion zones and give victims greater peace of mind. More detail about the Pilot, including the cohorts involved, can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/process-evaluation-of-the-global-positioning-system-gps-electronic-monitoring-pilot The numbers of new starts in the Pilot dropped to zero a few months before the end of the Pilot. This was because the Pilot was scheduled to last for 18 months, ending on 31 March 2018. As most electronic monitoring orders last several months, the MoJ imposed a cut-off date for fitting new tags three months before the Pilot was due to end. This ensured that decision makers were not, for example, ordering new tags to be fitted only a few weeks before they would have to be removed. Table 1 shows the total number of individuals wearing a GPS tag at the end of every month. Table 2 shows the number of new GPS starts each month.

Debt Collection

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of  trends in the number of people who have experienced problems with bailiffs.

Lucy Frazer: The Ministry of Justice is currently reviewing the implementation of reforms, contained in the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 and introduced in 2014, which cover how enforcement agents (formerly known as bailiffs) operate. We recently held a Call for Evidence to inform our review. We asked for information to help us to assess the number of people who have experienced problems with enforcement agents. The Call for Evidence closed on 17 February 2019. We are considering the responses received and plan to publish the government response in the summer.

Rape: Drugs

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many convictions there have been for administering date rape drugs in each of the last five years.

Lucy Frazer: The number of offenders found guilty of “administering a substance with intent” in England and Wales, from 2013 to 2017 can be found in the Experimental statistics: Principal offence proceedings and outcomes by Home Office offence data tool in the annual criminal justice statistics publication, linked below. From the detailed offence drop down box, select ‘Administer substance with intent to stupefy or overpower to engage in sexual activity’: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/738814/HO-Code-Tool-2017.xlsx The total number of prosecutions and convictions may be higher as the data only shows the principle offence. Court proceedings data, including findings of guilt for this offence, for 2018 are planned for publication on 16 May 2019.

Criminal Cases Review Commission: Public Appointments

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timeframe is for the appointment of new Commissioners to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the (a) budget and (b) resources available to the Criminal Cases Review Commission on its ability to (i) investigate and (ii) refer miscarriages of justice.

Edward Argar: The Government believes that the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is sufficiently funded for the valuable work that it undertakes.We hope to announce - in the near future - the appointment of six new Commissioners who we expect to take up their appointments during May. These appointments will enable the Commission to continue its vital work in investigating possible miscarriages of justice.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will place the minutes of the meeting between the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and the Criminal Cases Review Commission on 25 March 2019 in the Library.

Edward Argar: Minutes of Ministerial meetings are not routinely published in order to ensure participants can exchange views in confidence and with trust. There are no plans to publish the minutes of this meeting.

Debts: Judgements

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many judgments in cases related to debt courts have made in each of the last 10 years broken down by (a) the age group of defendants and (b) the specific debt-related offence.

Lucy Frazer: The information requested about the number of court judgments related to debt in each of the last 10 years, broken down by the age group of defendants, is not held centrally. The information requested about the number of court judgments related to debt in each of the last 10 years, broken down by the specific debt, could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme Review

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timetable is for the launch of the consultation on the review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to ensure the right compensation for victims of violent crime.

Edward Argar: The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme review was announced in September 2018. Work on the review is currently ongoing and we are committed to consulting this year on proposals.

Prison Sentences

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people since 2016, who have been given a sentence of six months or less, have previously served (a) 20 short sentences of six months or less, (b) 50 short sentences six months or less and (c) 100 short sentences of 6 months or less.

Rory Stewart: For those offenders sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence of six months or less between 1st January 2017 and 30th September 2018, 339 offenders had 20 previous custodial sentences of six months or less, 20 offenders had 50 previous custodial sentences of six months or less and 1 offender had 100 previous custodial sentences of six months or less.There is a strong case to abolish sentences of six months or less, with some exceptions. We are exploring options to restrict the use of short custodial sentences, but we have not at this stage reached any conclusions.There is persuasive evidence showing community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 involved around 350,000 sentencing occasions over 4 years and used 130 different variables to construct matched groups of offenders and examine the effect of short sentences relative to community sentences. This study found a reduction of around 3 percentage points in proven reoffences if offenders receiving sentences of less than 12 months were to get a community order instead. This is statistically significant and equates to around 30,000 proven reoffences in total over a one-year period. This means fewer victims of crime.Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.

Disasters

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made on implementing the commitment in the Queen's Speech 2017 to introduce an independent public advocate who will act for bereaved families after a public disaster and support them at public inquests; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Argar: The Government conducted a consultation on our proposals for an Independent Public Advocate (IPA) which concluded on the 3rd December 2018. We are considering the response to those proposals and will be publishing our plans for establishing the IPA in due course.

Council Tax: Non-payment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of people who have served custodial sentences due to non-payment of council tax in each of the last 10 years.

Rory Stewart: The number of people admitted to prison for non-payment of council tax to December 2018 can be viewed in Table A2.12 at the link below:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/796916/receptions-2018.ods

Prison Officers: Training

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2019 to Question 236498 on Prison Officers: Training, how many Offender Manager Key Worker Champions there are in each (a) publicly operated and (b) privately operated prison.

Rory Stewart: Key Worker Champion training has been in place since 2017 and as of 26th April we have trained 671 Key Worker Champions overall, 524 of those are from public sector prisons and 147 are from the contracted out estate.

Department for International Trade

Trade etc in Dual-use Items and Firearms etc (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019

Judith Cummins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Trade etc. in Dual-Use Items and Firearms etc. (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, what analysis he has carried out of the effect of those regulations on businesses.

Graham Stuart: The Trade etc. in Dual-Use Items and Firearms etc. (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 were made to address inoperabilities and deficiencies of retained EU law arising from the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU and to ensure the legislation operates effectively after exit. We have proposed the creation of a general online licence that would permit the export of the majority of dual-use items to the EU.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing: Standards

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 13 March 2019, Spring Statement 2019, HCWS 1407, when (a) further information and (b) the timetable for the consultation on the Future Homes Standard will be published.

Kit Malthouse: The Future Homes Standard will be implemented through an uplift to the Building Regulations, subject to consultation. We will expand on the technical detail of these proposals during the 2019 consultation on the energy efficiency requirements of the Building Regulations.

Housing: Energy

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 13 March 2019, Spring Statement 2019, HCWS 1407, what level of energy efficiency the Future Homes Standard will be set at.

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 13 March 2019, Spring Statement 2019, HCWS 1407, whether in-use performance energy efficiency of new build homes will be measured under the Future Homes Standard.

Kit Malthouse: The Future Homes Standard will be implemented through an uplift to the Building Regulations, subject to consultation. We will expand on the technical detail of these proposals during the 2019 consultation on the energy efficiency requirements of the Building Regulations.

Housing: Construction

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 13 March 2019, Spring Statement 2019, HCWS 1407, whether the Future Homes Standard will apply to all new housing built in England and Wales.

Kit Malthouse: The Building Regulations are a fully devolved matter, and each of the devolved administrations is able to set its own standards. The Future Homes Standard will apply in England only.

Religious Hatred

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the 415 per cent increase in religious hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales since 2011-12.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: Police recorded religiously motivated hate crime has increased in recent years despite a backdrop of a longer-term downward trend in the experience of hate crime overall according to the Crime Survey of England and Wales. We know that there have been trigger events for increases in hate crime, such as the EU Referendum and the terror attacks in 2017, though data shows that these have been temporary. A considerable driver for this overall increase is general improvements in police recording, and through our work with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and third party services such as the Community Security Trust and Tell MAMA, police are better at identifying whether a crime is a hate crime and victims may be more willing to come forward.The Government has a comprehensive plan to tackle hate crime in all its forms, as set out in the refreshed Hate Crime Action Plan published in October 2018, which sets out a programme of work across Government and by the police.

Housing: Oxfordshire

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 15 April 2019 to Question 242953 on Housing: Oxfordshire, what steps his Department has taken with the Department for Transport in (a) stage one and (b) stage two of the bidding process for Housing Infrastructure Fund Forward Funding bids in relation to sustainable transport.

Kit Malthouse: Following the submission of expressions of interest to the Housing Infrastructure Fund the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Transport worked with Oxfordshire County Council to develop their bids.It was then for Oxfordshire County Council to determine which strategic, high-impact infrastructure interventions, that will unlock housing, to include in their final business cases.I am delighted that the government recently awarded Oxfordshire County Council £218 million of funding from the Housing Infrastructure Fund for the Access to Didcot Garden Town scheme that includes improving cycling provision.

Ministry of Defence

Iran: International Military Services

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the date was of the most recent enforcement hearing for the court case between IMS Ltd and the Iranian Government on outstanding IMS debt.

Stuart Andrew: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 30 October 2018 to Question 183962.The hearing is now scheduled for May 2019. As before, the subject matter relates to the enforcement of an arbitral award, so the proceedings are confidential and the application will be in private.



Iran:International Military Services
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Defence: Procurement

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has plans to make an assessment of the effect of procurement decisions on levels of (a) safety training and (b) equipment standards in the armed forces.

Stuart Andrew: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) puts safety at the heart of all its procurement activities, from setting initial requirements, through to procurement and safe operation of equipment and, ultimately, disposal. In Defence Equipment and Support, this is facilitated through the Acquisition Safety and Environmental Management System, which is used to ensure that safety training and equipment standards are considered in all procurement activity. Safety performance is routinely considered at Board level, with the MOD continually looking for opportunities to improve safety standards and reinforce a strong safety culture at every level. Underpinning this, the Defence Safety Authority provides independent assurance that MOD safety policy is being promoted and implemented.

Royal Armoured Corps: Anniversaries

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to mark the 80th Anniversary of the founding of The Royal Armoured Corps.

Mark Lancaster: The 80th Anniversary of the founding of the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) was commemorated with a number of events on 4 April 2019. These included the unveiling of the RAC Gauntlet (a stainless steel statue of the "iron fist" RAC capbadge) at the Corps Headquarters, Allenby Barracks by the Colonel Commandant RAC, General Sir Chris Deverell, KCB MBE ADC, and the opening of the RAC 80 Exhibition "Long After the Battle" at the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset, attended by serving soldiers, members of the public and veterans from the Second World War.In addition, armoured vehicles were positioned at several locations across the UK on the day to raise awareness of the Corps and its anniversary. Units deployed overseas posted imagery of their vehicles as part of the social media campaign under #RAC80.

Tanks: Procurement

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to announce the procurement of new tanks for the Army; and what the timeframe is for those tanks to come in to service.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress he has made on the programme to extend the service life of the Challenger 2 main battle tank; and how many vehicles he plans to upgrade under the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme.

Stuart Andrew: The Challenger 2 remains a key capability for the Armed Forces as the British Army's main battle tank. The Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme will provide a suite of capability upgrades and substantially extend its service life. The planned upgrade is currently undergoing an extended assessment phase, which is expected to conclude in 2020. No final decisions have been made on the numbers, which will be informed by the assessment phase, Defence requirements, and balance of investment considerations.

Ministry of Defence: Brexit

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has deprioritised any Statutory Instruments on UK leaving the EU; and if he will publish the criteria his Department used to deprioritise those Instruments.

Mark Lancaster: The Ministry of Defence has not deprioritised any European Union (EU) exit Statutory Instruments (SIs). Given the extension to Article 50, the Department will consider whether any further EU exit SIs will need to be brought forward to amend any EU Regulations, which have come into force since the original EU Exit SI programme was finalised. The Department will keep this under careful review.

Army: Training

Sir Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the overall pass rates were for the British Army personal fitness assessment in each of the last five years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The percentage of trained personnel who achieved the target level, against the total number who took the Personal Fitness Assessment (PFA), can be found below for each of the last five years. Those who failed the assessment would have been supported with a personal fitness plan.  Training Year2014-152015-162016-172017-182018-19Pass Rate Regular (%)9897969595Pass Rate Reserve (%)8080767071 Notes/Caveats: Figures are a Single Service estimate and are not official statistics produced by Defence StatisticsFigures include Officers and Other Ranks (Regulars and Reserves) who took the PFA.

Royal Armoured Corps

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the current order of battle is of The Royal Armoured Corps.

Mark Lancaster: The order of battle for the Royal Armoured Corps, as at April 2019, is provided in the table below. Regt/CorpsMajor UnitRoyal Armoured CorpsHousehold Cavalry RegimentRoyal Armoured CorpsHousehold Cavalry Mounted RegimentRoyal Armoured Corps1st The Queen's Dragoon GuardsRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers And Greys)Royal Armoured CorpsThe Royal Dragoon GuardsRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Queen’s Royal Hussars (The Queen’s Own and Royal Irish)Royal Armoured CorpsThe Royal LancersRoyal Armoured CorpsThe King's Royal HussarsRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Light DragoonsRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Royal Tank RegimentRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Royal YeomanryRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Royal Wessex YeomanryRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Queen's Own YeomanryRoyal Armoured CorpsThe Scottish And North Irish Yeomanry

Type 26 Frigates: Construction

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure that UK suppliers are supported during the manufacture of the Type 26 Frigate programme.

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department took to ensure that UK suppliers were supported throughout the concept, development and manufacturing phase of the Aircraft Carrier Programme.

Stuart Andrew: Procurement programmes do not routinely set the requirements on where equipment or components are manufactured or assembled, unless there is a national security requirement to do so. This is a matter for the equipment and component suppliers, and the lead contractors.In both cases, the Aircraft Carrier Alliance whose membership consists of BAE Systems, Babcock and Thales UK, and the lead contractor for the Type 26 Frigate programme, BAE Systems, have selected the majority of sub-contractors for the programmes through competition. UK suppliers have had an equal opportunity to bid for work on the two programmes, with selections based on price and the ability of suppliers to meet schedule and performance requirements.The majority of the structural steel for the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carrier programme was supplied by Tata UK and the programme as a whole sustained thousands of jobs throughout the UK supply chain. On the Type 26 programme to date, 64 sub-contracts have been awarded to UK based companies including the gas turbines (Rolls Royce), propulsion system (General Electric) and gearboxes (David Brown Gear Systems) and air weapons handling system (Babcock). We anticipate that more UK based sub-contractors will continue to be appointed as the programme progresses.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary: Procurement

Chris Stephens: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether bidders participating in the procurement process for fleet support ships are required to provide carrier strike group 21 capabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Stuart Andrew: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 April 2019, to Question 241496.



241496 - Royal Fleet Auxiliary: Shipping
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Department for Work and Pensions

Work Capability Assessment

John McNally: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of whether Maximus is meeting the SC12 and SC13 targets in schedule 2.2 of the Health and Disability Assessment Services contract; and whether the Government collates data from individual assessment centres on those targets.

Justin Tomlinson: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 04 April 2019.The correct answer should have been:

The supplier aims to deliver quality assessments as efficiently as possible. Our priority is to ensure that claimants who attend an assessment centre are seen and the supplier is achieving the SC132 target which measures the percentage of claimants sent home unseen. Currently, more people are waiting longer in assessment centres than we would like; the supplier is currently just below the SC123 target level which measures waiting times in assessment centres. SC12 and SC13 are national contractual service levels, but the Department does monitor performance at assessment centre-level. We are working closely with the supplier to improve waiting times for more claimants while ensuring the length of the assessment meets the individual claimant’s needs and claimants who attend for an assessment are seen.

Justin Tomlinson: The supplier aims to deliver quality assessments as efficiently as possible. Our priority is to ensure that claimants who attend an assessment centre are seen and the supplier is achieving the SC132 target which measures the percentage of claimants sent home unseen. Currently, more people are waiting longer in assessment centres than we would like; the supplier is currently just below the SC123 target level which measures waiting times in assessment centres. SC12 and SC13 are national contractual service levels, but the Department does monitor performance at assessment centre-level. We are working closely with the supplier to improve waiting times for more claimants while ensuring the length of the assessment meets the individual claimant’s needs and claimants who attend for an assessment are seen.

Personal Independence Payment: Foreign Students

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the financial effect on students in receipt of personal independence payments (PIP) caused by her policy that students in receipt of PIP who are studying abroad must return to the UK every 12 weeks in order to not lose their rights to their benefits.

Justin Tomlinson: The rules allowing for temporary absence abroad apply to Attendance Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment and were subject to consultation in 2012 (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/dla-reform-and-pip-completing-the-detailed-design). Under that consultation we had originally proposed a temporary absence rule of four weeks. However, respondents to the consultation told us that the time period was too short and would negatively impact on certain people such as: Full time students studying abroad as part of their degree coursePeople volunteering abroadDisabled athletes travelling to race meetings/competitionsThose undertaking summer internshipsDisabled people who require extra time to travel and recuperate As a consequence of this consultation, and the suggestions received, we amended our proposal so that a period of 13 weeks would be allowed. This period of time was chosen in part to cover term time absences for students and also to allow people a longer period to visit families living abroad where a long journey may be required.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit: Dupuytren's Contracture

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if the Minister will take steps to ensure that no recipient will be financially disadvantaged by the delay to including Dupuytren's Contracture in the list of prescribed diseases for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit by April 2019.

Justin Tomlinson: The usual Departmental rules will apply in relation to backdating and posthumous claims, which means that claims may be backdated by up to three months from the date of claim, provided relevant evidence is available. Posthumous claims can be made within twelve months of the date of death. However, benefit cannot be paid in respect of a period prior to the date the disease is legally added to the schedule of prescribed diseases.

Welfare State: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the effect of the continued absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Assembly on the welfare system in Northern Ireland.

Alok Sharma: Social security matters are the responsibility of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland. However, in the absence of the Northern Ireland Assembly, DWP continues to make certain social security legislation at Westminster on behalf of the Department for Communities to ensure parity is maintained.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2019 to Question 232109 on Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations, whether she plans to publish findings from the Proof of Concept.

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of 19 March 2019 t Question 232109 on Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations, whether her Department plans to collect data on the number of disabled people participating in the Proof of Concept who are subsequently found to have Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity.

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2019 to Question 232109 on Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations, whether the design of the proof of concept will take account of the potential effect of reducing conditionality requirements on the Department’s ability to avoid sanctions.

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2019 to Question 232109 on Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations, whether the design of the proof of concept will take account of the potential effect of reducing conditionality requirements on the Department’s ability to safeguard vulnerable claimants.

Alok Sharma: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 April 2019 to Questions 239290, 239291 & 239292. Small numbers of participants involved may limit the ability to breakdown the data by specific groups.

Pension Credit

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to simplify the process of claiming pension credit.

Guy Opperman: The Government is committed to ensuring that older people receive the support they are entitled to and the DWP targets activity on engaging with people who may be eligible to benefits at pivotal stages, such as when they claim State Pension or report a change in their circumstances. The DWP uses a wide range of channels to communicate information about benefits to potential customers including information on https://gov.uk/, in leaflets and by telephone. People wishing to claim Pension Credit can do so by calling 0800 99 1234, which removes the need for claimants to complete lengthy application forms. However, paper forms are also available for those who prefer. The DWP is required by law to ask a number of questions in order to establish eligibility and ensure accurate assessment and subsequent award. DWP staff in Pension Centres and Jobcentres including visiting officers are able to provide help and advice about entitlement to benefits, as are staff in Local Authorities who administer Housing Benefit. One of the best ways to reach eligible customers is through trusted stakeholder working in the community and we have developed the Pension Credit toolkit, as an on-line tool for agencies and welfare rights organisations to use in order to encourage Pension Credit take-up. It can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pension-credit-toolkit The toolkit contains resources for anyone working with pensioners and includes guides to Pension Credit. It also contains publicity material and guidance designed to help older people understand how they could get Pension Credit and help organisations support someone applying for Pension Credit as well as ideas for encouraging take-up. The toolkit also provides links to information about disability and carers benefits. Most recently we have provided to relevant organisations a fact sheet about Pension Credit and forthcoming changes for couples to ensure that accurate information is available in the places where people are most likely to seek information. The majority of people of pension age in receipt of a State Pension or another social security benefit receive their annual winter fuel payment automatically without the need to make a claim. There are no plans to change the existing process of claims to Pension Credit.

Pensions

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when she plans to publish the next White Paper on pensions; and if she will make a statement.

Guy Opperman: On the 19 March 2018, the Department published a White Paper on ‘Protecting Defined Benefit Pension Schemes’ which can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/protecting-defined-benefit-pension-schemes The Department has no plans to publish a further Pensions White Paper.

Employment and Support Allowance

Alan Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2018 to Question 142518 on Employment and Support Allowance, whether any subsequent changes have been made to the ESA65B letter to inform doctors that they should continue to provide fit notes for claimants if they are appealing a decision or their condition worsens.

Justin Tomlinson: I refer the right honourable member to Parliamentary Question 239928 answered on 8th April 2019.

Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints her Department has received about personal independence payment assessments in (a) the last 12 months and (b) since the introduction of personal independence payment.

Justin Tomlinson: The total number of complaints about Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments for the 12 months from March 2018 to February 2019 is 9,320. The total for all complaints from May 2013 to Feb 2019 is 41,500. This equates to less than 1% of total referrals completed by the PIP assessment providers, both for the year and the running total. * All data collated from provider MI, all numbers rounded to the nearest 10

State Retirement Pensions: Reciprocal Arrangements

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will place a copy of the reciprocal agreement covering pensions with the Philippines in the House of Commons Library.

Guy Opperman: Current versions of the United Kingdom’s reciprocal social security agreements are already publicly available on the Legislation.gov.uk website. The 1989 convention on social security between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines is available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/2002/contents. However, a copy will be placed in the House of Commons Library as requested.

Employment Guarantee Bill

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's policy is on the potential merits of the Employment Guarantee Bill, presented to Parliament on 13 June 2018.

Alok Sharma: The Department is committed to supporting people into work and Universal Credit supports those claimants who can work and cares for those who cannot, while being fair to the taxpayer. We know that claimants on Universal Credit move into work faster and spend more time looking for work than on legacy benefits and the Universal Credit Full Service Claimant Survey shows that 9 months into a Universal Credit claim 40 per cent of claimants are working for an employer in a paid role, as opposed to only 23 per cent at the start of their claim. This is because Universal Credit is designed to strengthen incentives to move into and progress in work by scrapping the ‘cliff-edges’ of the legacy system, which penalised people for working more than 16 hours a week and providing more help with childcare costs.

Children: Maintenance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what investigatory powers are available to officials in her Department to calculate the (a) income of a parent due to pay child maintenance, (b) amount a parent is able to pay; and what criteria her Department uses to authorise those powers.

Will Quince: When the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) makes a calculation it is based initially on income information received directly from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Having access to HMRC income information allows the Child Maintenance Service to capture a much wider range of income types received by paying parents. In addition to a parent’s gross annual income, we can capture income derived from property, savings and investments (including dividends) and other miscellaneous income. This is unearned income can be included in the calculation if a request is made to vary the calculation. In December 2018 we introduced new powers which also enable us to target complex earners via a calculation of notional income based on their assets. Cases involving complex income or suspected fraudulent behaviour can be looked into by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). This specialist team can request information from a range of financial institutions to check the accuracy of information the Child Maintenance Service is given. The financial institutions are legally bound to supply the information. When an investigation finds evidence of criminality, the FIU will seek to prosecute or forward to HMRC for fraud action.

Sick Leave: Mental Health

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the effect on the economy of employment absences and absenteeism as a result of (a) stress, (b) anxiety and (c) depression in each of the last 10 years.

Will Quince: Analysis in the independent review, “Thriving at Work, The Stevenson/Farmer Review of Mental Health and Employers”, published in October 2017, indicates a cost to the economy of mental health related employment absences and absenteeism of £49.1 to £64.5 billion per annum. This includes £37.0 to £52.4 billion costs of lost output due to worklessness, £8.8 billion costs of absenteeism of employees and the self-employed, and £3.3 billion NHS costs. Costs are not available by condition or by year.

Children: Maintenance

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential for non-resident parents with irregular variable income to abuse the Child Maintenance Service dispute system and avoid paying children maintenance.

Will Quince: Having access to income information from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) allows the Child Maintenance Service to capture a much wider range of income types received by paying parents. In addition to a parent’s gross annual income, we can capture income derived from property, savings and investments (including dividends) and other miscellaneous income. This unearned income can be included in the calculation if a request is made to vary the calculation. In December 2018 we introduced new powers which also enable us to target complex earners by a calculation of notional income based on their assets. Cases involving complex income or suspected fraudulent behaviour can be looked into by the Financial Investigation Unit (FIU). This is a specialist team which can request information from financial institutions to check the accuracy of information the Child Maintenance Service is given. When an investigation finds evidence of criminality, the FIU will seek to prosecute or forward to HMRC for consideration of fraud action.

Ceramics: North Staffordshire

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to support potters in North Staffordshire facing redundancy.

Alok Sharma: DWP organised and facilitated a support event on 16th April 2019 for those people affected by the redundancies at Dudson. We have built excellent links with the ceramic confederation, local authorities, Citizens Advice, ACAS, local providers and employers. As a result, the Department is in a position to provide tailored support to those who need it. This ensures they have the correct financial, pension, employment and up to date benefit advice as well as direct contact with employers who have expressed a keen interest in recruiting Dudson ex-employees. Following the event, all stakeholders are working together collectively to help the community in Stoke-on-Trent. People were assured that all the stakeholders in attendance were there to support them. All Dudson ex-employees were invited through DWP and the administrator to the City Wide Jobs fair held at Stoke-on-Trent college on the 18th April 2019. Around 54 employers and partners were in attendance with an estimated 1,800 jobs available. 20 Job interviews were conducted on the day, with 15 job contracts being offered the following day. BBC Radio Stoke reported live from the event encouraging people to come and be part of the day. They also interviewed a few ex-employees of Dudson who reported that it was a great opportunity to talk to employers in sectors they had not previously considered. We have explained that help to claim support is available through Citizens Advice to ensure customers are making the appropriate claim. In addition, we organised daily group sessions for the 3 days immediately following the announcement of redundancies from Dudson to manage the increased footfall and queries. 50 people attended these sessions where they were given advice regarding benefits, budgeting and CV’s. There are 54 people still employed by Dudson so over the next few weeks and months as other parts of the business close we may see additional claims within North Staffs. These people will also be offered the same support.

Work Capability Assessments

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants have died within (a) six months and (b) 12 months after being assessed as fit for work.

Justin Tomlinson: To provide a reply would require the Department to link together several complex datasets and quality assure the results. Although theoretically possible, it is estimated that this would take in excess of 4 working days therefore as the information requested is not readily available, to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Unemployment: Mental Illness

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the unemployment rate of people with diagnosed mental health conditions in each of the last 10 years.

Justin Tomlinson: The requested information is not held by the Department and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Pension Credit

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 April 2019 to Question 243355, what assessment he has made of the merits of a formal policy monitoring spending aimed at increasing take-up rates of pension credit.

Guy Opperman: Since 2010, the DWP have increased the annual level of the basic State Pension by £1,450. In 2018/19 we will spend £121.5 billion on benefits for pensioners and by 2023/24 this rises to £143.5 billion. The DWP's policy and essential information to a broad range of customers and other key audiences and provides services to around 22 million people either directly or using a multitude of partners from the third sector. Given that the DWP uses a variety of different channels to communicate information about Pension Credit to potential customers, there are no plans to change the existing arrangements beyond monitoring actual Pension Credit expenditure and the amount of Pension Credit that goes unclaimed. However, the DWP does monitor the take-up of income related benefits, including Pension Credit.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Deer: Conservation

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he had had with his counterparts in devolved Administrations on a UK-wide deer cull to tackle damage to countryside and crops.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: I have not had any discussions with the devolved administrations on this.

Water: Prices

Mike Amesbury: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the price of water is affordable for older people.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Motherwell and Wishaw, Marion Fellows, on 23 April 2019 to PQ 244155.

Shipping: Noise

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of underwater noise emissions from commercial shipping on wildlife in UK territorial waters.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Under the UK Marine Strategy, the UK Government is working to ensure that underwater noise-generating human activities do not pose a significant risk to marine ecosystems. We currently have a limited understanding of the distribution of noise in UK seas and its impact on vulnerable species. To address this in relation to sources of continuous noise such as shipping, the UK has established a noise monitoring network, consisting of long-term monitoring stations deployed in coastal waters. The information from this monitoring network will be matched with species distributions and used to inform future policy. At present, it remains unclear whether changes in shipping activity have resulted in an increase in continuous noise levels. The International Maritime Organization has made recommendations to improve efficiency standards in newly built ships, which will also make them less noisy (more hydrodynamic ships are more efficient and also tend to create less noise).

Fisheries: Safety

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to reduce harmful fishing practices including the release of off-cuts of rope from nets into the ocean.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government is committed to reducing plastic litter in the marine environment from all sources, including fishing, and this is being achieved through a variety of voluntary schemes and legislation. The Fisheries Bill and the 25 Year Environment Plan set out our clear commitment to sustainable fishing practices and protection of the marine environment. More specifically, under the MARPOL convention the discharge of garbage into the sea is forbidden. This includes cut-offs of rope and other plastic waste. Additionally, Council Regulation (EC) No. 1224/2009 requires masters of a fishing vessel to attempt to retrieve any gear that is lost as soon as possible. If they are unable to retrieve their lost gear they must notify the UK fisheries authorities. The legislation also helps with the tracing of lost fishing gear by placing a requirement on masters of a fishing vessel using passive gear or beam trawls to mark their fishing gear with the port letter and number of their vessel. The Resources and Waste Strategy for England will require producers to take responsibility for gear at the end of life stage, and schemes will be in place across Europe.

Waste Management: Standards

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons waste management standards vary between councils.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: All local authorities must provide waste services as set out in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and other legislation. However, local authorities face different circumstances when collecting waste and make local decisions on how best to deliver these services. The Government supports comprehensive and frequent waste collections that ensure high levels of recycling. The Resources and Waste Strategy shows what measures the Government will take to help local authorities recycle more and waste less.

Air Pollution

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the economic effect of air pollution on (a) vulnerable groups and (b) children who (i) live, (ii) learn and (iii) play in affected areas.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government assesses economic impacts based on advice from the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP), a committee to the Department of Health and Social Care. The latest advice from COMEAP (a report published in August 2018), does not attribute specific morbidity to schools or children, rather to the whole population, including all vulnerable groups. However, we recently published updated air quality appraisal values. These damage costs incorporate the latest evidence from Public Health England to reflect the impacts of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide on asthma cases relating to children. The Government has committed £3.5 billion overall to deliver actions across all sectors and achieve cleaner air for people of all ages, including all vulnerable groups; published our Clean Air Strategy in May 2018; and is also shortly bringing forward a new Environment Bill, which will include strong commitments to improve the air we all breathe.

Climate Change

Stephen Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to keep the global temperature at less than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is the lead Government department for policy on climate change mitigation. Defra is responsible for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the natural resources sectors, including agriculture, land use, forestry, waste management, and fluorinated gases. We have halved our emissions from these sectors since 1990 and they now account for 15% of total UK emissions. We recognise the need to go further and are taking forward a number of commitments set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan to reduce emissions further.These include: establishing a Lowland Agricultural Peat Taskforce to protect our peat carbon stores and prevent further emissions; making progress towards our target to plant 11 million new trees in this Parliament; implementing our new Resources and Waste Strategy; and continuing to phase down fluorinated gases. The UK is ahead of our international obligations under the Montreal Protocol, having already started to cut hydrofluorocarbons, most recently cutting their usage by 37% since 2018. In the 2018 Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced £50 million in financing to plant new woodlands to tackle climate change through the Woodland Carbon Guarantee.

Utilities: Prices

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that the price of (a) energy and (b) water services remain affordable for older people.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: I refer the Hon. Member to the reply given to the Rt. Hon. Member for East Ham, Stephen Timms, on 23 April 2019 to PQ 244003.

Plastic Bags

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the contribution that banning the production, sale and use of single-use plastic carrier bags could make towards achieving his Department's target of eliminating all avoidable plastic waste.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Government’s priority is preventing plastic from entering the environment in the first place, be it the marine or terrestrial environment. The Resources and Waste Strategy, published in December last year, sets out our plans to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste. This encompasses all types of plastic and we are already taking action. The 5p charge on single use carrier bags has been highly effective in reducing the amount of plastic we use in our everyday lives, whilst also raising money for local, national and environmental charities.Defra commissioned an independent study in 2018 to explore the possible impacts of a ban on the supply of single use plastic bags in England. The Government is not currently considering an outright ban. We recognise the role that a single use carrier bag can play in spontaneous unplanned purchasing, and that alternative bag types can potentially have a significantly higher carbon impact than single use carrier bags.Defra published a consultation in December 2018 on plans to extend the existing carrier bag charge to small and medium sized enterprises and to increase the charge to 10p. The Government response will be published in due course.

Motor Vehicles: Urban Areas

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of implementing monthly car-free Sundays in city centres.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: We have made no assessment on implementing a car-free Sunday scheme. This is a matter for individual local authorities to decide as they are best placed to ensure that decisions take into account local needs.

Pesticides

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) support farmers to reduce their dependence on pesticides and (b) transition to non-chemical alternatives.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The 25 Year Environment Plan states the Government’s intention to put integrated pest management (IPM) at the heart of its approach. This means developing and implementing policies that encourage and support sustainable crop protection with the use of pesticides, keeping their impact to a minimum. In doing so, we will build on existing work to research and promote new techniques and products that provide alternatives to chemical pesticides. We will continue to regulate pesticides so that they are only permitted to be used if a scientific assessment shows that this meets strict standards for the protection of people and the environment.

Natural England

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which Minister in his Department has Ministerial oversight of Natural England.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The Secretary of State has overall ministerial insight. As the Environment Minister, I have regular liaison meetings with Natural England, while all Ministers do interact with Natural England in line with their portfolios.

Natural England: Licensing

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which stakeholders Natural England consulted ahead of its decision to revoke General Licences 04/05/06.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Natural England informed the following stakeholders that the licences were subject to challenge on 15 March, and again directly on 23 April when the decision to revoke the contested general licences was announced: the RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts, the RSPCA, the National Farmers’ Union, the Countryside Alliance, the Country Land and Business Association, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, the Moorland Association, the Local Government Association, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, the National Gamekeepers Organisation, the National Pest Technicians Association, the National Wildlife Crime Unit and the Tenant Farmers Association.

Natural England: Licensing

Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions his Department had with Natural England ahead of its decision to revoke General Licences 04/05/06.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: Wild Justice’s legal challenge to the General Licences 04/05/06 was against Natural England, as the licensing authority. Defra discussed with Natural England its intention of withdrawing the three general licences to understand the arguments and implications of conceding. Natural England has also discussed with Defra its plans for urgent interim measures as a consequence of the legal challenge, as well as the longer term review of general and class licences.

Animal Welfare

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to regulate animal rescue homes and centres.

David Rutley: The Government takes the welfare of pets very seriously. The Government is committed to banning the third party sale of puppies and kittens in England and the necessary secondary legislation will be laid before Parliament later in this session. We recognise the concern that some unscrupulous breeders may consider setting up as rescue and rehoming centres, and we will provide guidance to local authorities to help them distinguish between genuine rescue and rehoming centres and other commercial operations. In parallel we are working with stakeholders to understand the impact any licensing scheme would have on the sector. Further detail on the Government’s overall approach to the licensing of animal rescue and rehoming centres was set out in a Westminster Hall debate on animal rescue homes on 26 February 2019.

Animal Welfare: Sentencing

Sir Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural affairs, following the granting of Royal Assent to Finns Law, when he plans to bring forward the legislative proposals necessary to introduce five-year sentences for cruelty to animals.

David Rutley: I refer the Rt. hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Romford, Andrew Rosindell, on 28 March 2019, PQ 236361.

Home Office

British Nationality: Applications

Stuart C. McDonald: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to (a) correct information distributed by email by UK Visas and Immigration on 22 March 2019 that stated that specified nationality applications must be made online; (b) inform recipients of those emails that the information was incorrect; (c) ensure that application submitted that were not made online are treated as valid; and (d)to make available on the gov.uk website the relevant paper forms.

Caroline Nokes: We are unable to comment on a specific email without specific details of the communication.UK Visas and Immigration accepts all nationality applications received if the customer has provided the required level of information and the appropriate fee. No applications which have met these conditions would be rejected.UK Visas and Immigration does not require applications for British nationality to be made online. It is still acceptable for customers to apply using the paper forms. However, customers are encouraged to use the intuitive online application service wherever possible and assisted digital support is made available to those who would otherwise struggle to make an online application.Information on GOV.UK will be revised to ensure that the form is available and how to apply is clear to applicants.

UK Visas and Immigration: Training

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what standard training and assessments UKVI Entry Clearance Officers receive (a) before they begin their role and (b) after they have started their role.

Caroline Nokes: All UKVI Decision Makers, including Entry Clearance Officers, attend a training course, before they take up their positions.Performance is managed through feedback and formal appraisal meetings with line managers, with any areas for development jointly agreed. They also receive further practical operational support to refine their training to deliver a high standard in decision making and consider applications on their own merits and in line with the Immigration Rules, which are applied impartially. Decisions are also reviewed by peers and managers.

Entry Clearances

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) Entry Clearance Officers and (b) Entry Clearance Managers are employed on a permanent and full time basis in decision-making hubs in (a) Pretoria, (b) Abuja, (c) Lagos, (d) Accra, (e) Croydon and (f) Sheffield.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office does not publish the information requested.

Immigration Controls: Passports

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the criteria is for selecting which passport holders have access to e-passport gates; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending that criteria to include British national (overseas) passport holders.

Caroline Nokes: The Government is prepared to consider whether British National (Over-seas) passport holders can be added to the list of those able to use ePass-port gates routinely. In doing so, they will be assessed against the full range of factors used to determine ePassport gate access including immigration abuse, security, cooperation on border matters, prosperity etc). If this group are found to be suitable, we will endeavor to add them at the next available opportunity.

Immigration: Nurses

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of the increase in the Immigration Health Surcharge on trends in the level of non-EEA NHS nursing staff.

Caroline Nokes: The Government continues to monitor trends in visa applications, including for the Tier 2 route through which non-EEA NHS nursing staff are admitted to the UK.

Merseyside Police: Finance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional support he is providing to Merseyside Police to (a) tackle gun crime in Birkenhead and (b) prevent children and young people from being criminally exploited.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Government is committed to tackling gun crime and is taking steps to address the issue across England and Wales. As set out in our Serious Violence Strategy, this includes measures in the Offensive Weapons Bill to ban certain rapid firing rifles and bump stocks, introducing greater regulation of antique firearms and tightening controls on firearms dealers. We have also established a multi-agency national firearms threat assessment centre to improve our capability to disrupt the supply and use of illegal firearms; this unit works closely with Merseyside police and the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit.The Government recognises the devastating impact of county lines activity on children and vulnerable people. We have provided £3.6 million to establish the new National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) to enhance our cross-border intelligence and activity on county lines and to better safeguard and protect victims of county lines including those who have been criminally exploited. Work is ongoing to protect the exploited and target the offenders, and to date the NCLCC has carried out two separate weeks of operational intensification leading to over 1100 arrests, over 1300 individuals safeguarded and significant seizures of weapons and drugs.In addition, the Government is providing Merseyside with £700k funding over two years through our £22 million Early Intervention Youth Fund for an early interventions programme targeting young people aged 8-19 to tackle serious violence and criminal exploitation across Merseyside. We have also allocated £3.5 million to Merseyside Police from our serious violence fund to pay for increased operational activity aimed at reducing serious violence.Since 2018, the Home Office has funded a Serious and Organised Crime Community Coordinator programme in Merseyside. The programme consists of a mix of techniques with the aim of reducing serious and organised crime, reducing its impact on local communities, and protecting the most vulnerable members of society from criminal exploitation.Funding for Merseyside Police will increase by £18.3 million this year. The Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner has set out her plans to use this funding to recruit 80 more police officers.

Domestic Abuse: Foreign Nationals

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that non-British domestic abuse victims residing in the UK are supported by the authorities.

Caroline Nokes: This Government is committed to transforming the response to domestic abuse.Victims of domestic abuse are treated first and foremost as victims. Non -British victims residing in the UK are able to apply for support from authorities, many of whom will have statutory obligations to support victims.For individuals in the UK who are married, or partners of, British or settled sponsors and who claim to be victims of abuse, there is the option of applying for immediate crisis support under the Destitute Domestic Violence Concession (DDVC).In addition, funding has been made available to support a range of support networks. In March, a further £1,090,000 was made available specifically to be used to provide safe accommodation, and other support functions.  We are not complacent about our responses to domestic abuse. We strive to see what more can be done. The new Domestic Abuse Bill will be the platform for delivering changes to support victims and will enable victims to have the ability and confidence to report these crimes.

Refugees: Families

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Q13 of the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Immigration to the EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee on 13 March 2019, what steps he has taken to review refugee family reunion for adult dependent children.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Q13 of the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Immigration to the EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee on 13 March 2019, what recent discussions he has had with representative of third sector organisations working with refugees on adult dependent children.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect of separation from adult dependent children on the integration of refugee families.

Caroline Nokes: The Government provides a safe and legal route to bring families together through its family reunion policy. This allows a partner and children under 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here, if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country. Our policy makes clear there is discretion to grant visas outside the Immigration Rules, which caters for extended family members in exceptional circumstances – including young adult sons or daughters who are dependent on family here and living in dangerous situations.The Government is listening carefully to calls to extend family reunion and we will continue our productive discussions with key partners on this complex and sensitive issue.Family connections are an important enabler of integration. However, we must also ensure we do not create incentives for more people, particularly children, to leave their homes and risk dangerous journeys hoping relatives can join them later. Those who need protection must claim in the first safe country they reach – that is the fastest route to safety.

Visas: Applications

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, on how many days has no appointment with the UK Visa and Citizenship Applications Service been available outside of London since November 2018.

Caroline Nokes: Sopra Steria pledge to offer applicants the option to arrange an appointment within five days at any of our core service points, located in Croydon, Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Belfast. UKVI continue to work closely with Sopra Steria to review appointment availability across all locations.Data on the number of days that no appointments have been available in UK Visa and citizenship applications service centres outside of London since November 2018 is not readily available. This information could only be provided by interrogation of individual service centres on a day by day basis, which could only be achieved at disproportionate costs.

Visas: Applications

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the effect is on an immigration application of the applicant being unable to book a mandatory appointment with the UK Visa and Citizenship Applications Service as a result of no available appointments within a reasonable distance.

Caroline Nokes: UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service Centres are run by Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) on behalf of UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI). There are six core sites across the UK at which enrolment services must be offered and beyond that, SSL offer a range of enhanced services, expanding biometric enrolment services to 51 other locations in line with their assessment of customer demand. SSL aims to offer all customers an appointment at their chosen location within five working days.New appointments are released by SSL on a daily basis and UKVI continue to work with SSL to increase the number of appointments available to its customers through opening new service points and increasing the number of appointments available at its existing service points experiencing high demand.Where an applicant in the UK who at the time of making an application has leave to enter or remain and the application to extend or vary is not decided before the person’s existing leave expires, section 3C extends the person’s existing leave until the application is decided (or withdrawn). Therefore, any delay in obtaining an appointment date will not affect an in-time application if biometrics are enrolled.

Personation

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps he has taken to tackle identity fraud.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Government takes the threat from all types of fraud, including identity fraud seriously and recognises the devastating impacts frauds can have on victims. Frauds are often facilitated by the misuse of personal details acquired lawfully or otherwise.We have set up the Joint Fraud Taskforce to bring together industry, law enforcement and government to tackle fraud in a truly collaborative way, harnessing our collective powers and resources to make it much more difficult for fraudsters to operate. This includes educating the public on steps they can take to protect their personal details. The joint public / private Take Five to Stop Fraud awareness campaign provides practical tips individuals can do to protect their personal details from use by criminals.

Personation

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of identity fraud have been reported in each of the last 12 months.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Home Office does not hold this information as identity theft is not a specific criminal offence but a way in which fraud can be enabled.It is not possible to separately identify identity theft within the various categories of fraud which are reported to the Home Office by the police.

Refugees

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to announce the future of the UK’s refugee resettlement programmes ahead of the conclusion of the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme in 2020; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes: We are making positive progress in our work with key stakeholders and international organisations on our future Asylum and Resettlement Strategy. This includes consideration of the UK’s resettlement offer beyond 2020.

Police

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of staffing levels in homicide and serious crime units within police forces in each year since 2010.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the primary function of police officers, as part of the police workforce statistics, published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-walesData on the primary functions of police officers (including those whose primary roles are in Serious and Organised Crime Units) can be found in Table_F5 of the accompanying data tables, the latest of which are available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/728153/police-workforce-tabs-jul18.ods

Barbecues

Thelma Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the risks of disposable barbecues to wildlife and the natural environment.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office works in close partnership with local fire and rescue authorities to promote a range of fire safety messages through the national Fire Kills campaign. Messages on outdoor fire safety, including the fire risks related to barbecues, are included within the educational materials made available to fire and rescue authorities to support local activity. In addition, the campaign works with the Gas Safe Register to support the promotion of carbon monoxide safety messages associated with barbecues.

Public Authority (Accountability) Bill

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to introduce the provisions set out in the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill recommended by the Rt RevJames Jones KBE in his report, The patronising disposition of unaccountable power: a  report to ensure the pain and suffering of the Hillsborough families is not repeated, published on 1 November 2017, HC 511; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd: Rt Rev James Jones KBE's 2017 report recommended that consideration be given to the Public Authority (Accountability) Bill "once the Law Commission's work on Misconduct in Public Office is complete, and government has agreed the detail of the reform the Commission sets out".The Law Commission's work is currently on-going. Once the review of Misconduct in Public Office is complete, Government will consider and respond to the Law Commission's conclusions. The Government will also provide a full response to the 2017 report in due course, following the conclusion of the ongoing criminal proceedings.

Migrant Workers: NHS and Social Services

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that new immigration framework will enable the (a) health service and (b) social care sector to continue to recruit overseas staff when necessary.

Caroline Nokes: The Government recognises the valuable contribution that international workers make to our important NHS and to the social care sector and we are determined to ensure that the future immigration system is efficient and able to respond to needs.In December 2018, we set out our proposals for the future immigration system in “the UK’s future Skills-based Immigration System” White Paper. The White Paper proposals include a new route for skilled workers which will be open to anyone at RQF level 3 (A-Level and equivalent) and above, irrespective of where they are applying from. This route will not be capped and employers will not be required to carry out a Resident Labour Market Test for higher skilled roles.The White Paper also includes, as a transitional measure, a route for temporary workers which will be open to anyone from qualifying countries, at any skill level, for up to 12 months. We do not intend to impose a cap on the number of people wishing to use this route.The White Paper is the start of a new national conversation and we have launched a year-long engagement programme over 2019 to take the views of a range of stakeholders across the UK, including the health and social care sector. Informed by this engagement, we will take final decisions ahead of implementing the new system from January 2021.

Visas: Commonwealth

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will remove visa charges for Commonwealth UK Armed Forces personnel and their immediate families when applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Caroline Nokes: There are no plans to remove visa fees for Commonwealth armed forces personnel, or their immediate family members.Fee concessions on the grounds of nationality are only available to meet legal or international convention obligations. It would be unfair if certain applicants or routes benefited from free applications or reduced fees, at the expense of others.

State Visits: USA

Stephen Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what additional funding his Department plans to allocate to support the policing of President Trump's state visit planned for 3-5 June 2019.

Mr Nick Hurd: It is open for Police and Crime Commissioners and the Mayor for London to apply for funding through the Police Special Grant to assist with the additional cost of any significant events.Last year the Home Office provided £7.8 million in Special Grant funding to forces to cover the cost of President Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom.

Immigration: Appeals

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average response time is for an immigration case which raises issues relating to the Human Rights Act 1998 in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Caroline Nokes: We do not publish data on average timescales to consider applications which raise issues relating to the Human Rights Act. However, data regarding UK Visas and Immigration’s temporary and permanent migration activities, processed within service standards, is published on the GOV.UK website. The latest edition is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/in-country-migration-data-february-2019

Immigration: Appeals

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, following a successful appeal to the First-tier Tribunal, what the average timescale is for the Home Office to review and implement the tribunals’ decision in cases where his Department does not submit further challenges.

Caroline Nokes: Where the appeal has been allowed in favour of the appellant, the Home Office undertakes careful consideration of the judge’s determination in order to conclude whether to submit an application for permission to appeal within the time limits set by the Tribunal Procedure Committee.The information on the average length of time taken to implement allowed appeals that we do not challenge is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost through the examination of individual case files.Statistics on appeals that have been determined by HM Courts and Tribunals Service are published quarterly. The most recent edition (Tribunals and gender recognitions certificates statistics quarterly: October to December 2018) is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-and-gender-recognition-certificate-statistics-quarterly-october-to-december-2018

Overseas Visitors

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how his Department decides the frequency of reporting appointments at reporting centres, police stations or other locations for people who have do not have permission to stay in the UK.

Caroline Nokes: The frequency of reporting is decided by the local reporting manager on a case-by-case basis, except for deportation cases, where the frequency is determined by the caseworker. Consideration is given to specific facts of an individual’s case, progress to removability, level of harm assessment, risk, and or if the person is vulnerable.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to implement measures outlined in the Government's response to the consultation on powers for dealing with unauthorised development and encampments; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office is currently developing proposals announced by the Home Secretary to amend the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 that will enable the police to tackle unathorised encampments more effectively and are also conducting a review into criminalising unathorised encmapments.The Home Office will soon launch a public consultation on these proposals.

Police: Construction

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which construction organisations and projects pay for their own policing; how many police personnel are involved in such protection; and what the cost is of that protection.

Mr Nick Hurd: This information is not collected centrally.

Police: Cross Border Cooperation

Liz Saville Roberts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate he has made of the additional costs of back record conversion of Schengen information to Interpol for police forces as a result of the extension to the UK's membership of the EU.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Government’s position remains that exiting the EU with a deal is in the UK’s best interests. Alongside this, the Government has been working closely with operational partners to prepare for all eventualities, including leaving the EU without a deal. The conversion of UK issued Schengen Information alerts to Interpol notices and diffusions is one element of this.Our preparedness includes supporting and funding the creation of the new International Crime Co-ordination Centre (ICCC). In light of the extension, we would expect the ICCC to work with police forces on preparing to use Interpol in place of SIS II, if that becomes necessary, in the most efficient way possible.

Slavery: Airports and Ports

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to tackle human trafficking and modern slavery at (a) airports and (b) seaports; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office is committed to protecting the vulnerable and modern slav-ery remains a top priority for Border Force and its operational partners.Border Force has a network of specially trained Safeguarding and Modern Slavery (SAMS) teams based in all regions. SAMS officers are operational and readily available to ensure children and vulnerable people, including potential victims of modern slavery are dealt with effectively.All frontline officers undertake mandatory training in SAMS related issues including keeping children safe, recognising trafficking indicators, the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).Border Force also participates in multi-agency anti trafficking operations, engaging with airlines and port operators to provide training in modern slavery detection.

Immigration Controls: Northern Ireland

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what preparations have been made to enhance passport checking systems at each of Northern Ireland's airports.

Caroline Nokes: Border Security is and will remain a departmental priority.Border Force conducts 100% checks on people entering the UK on sched-uled services, together with risked-based intelligence-led interventions at smaller ports and airfields.All passengers arriving in the UK at passport control are checked against police, security and immigration watch lists on arrival at the border. The majority of these are checked against our systems before they even travel, through the collection of advanced passenger information (API). API helps protect the UK against terrorist attacks, serious cross-border crime and abuses of the immigration system.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the evidence given by the Minister for Immigration to the Exiting the EU Committee on 11 July 2018, Qq2302-2303, what performance indicators his Department will publish on the EU Settled Status scheme; and how regularly they will be published.

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data on EU Settled Status applications will be published in the quarterly release of Home Office immigration statistics.

Caroline Nokes: We have committed to publishing quarterly statistical reports on the EU Settlement Scheme as a whole, alongside our Immigration Statistics from August 2019. Home Office statisticians are currently considering the content and will be taking into account the views of statistics users.The Home Office publishes estimated processing times for EU Settlement Scheme applications at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-application-processing-times/eu-settlement-scheme-pilot-current-expected-processing-times-for-applications, giving applicants a guide to the current level of service.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans his Department has to issue guidance to staff in the Department of Work and Pensions on EU citizens with settled status and their entitlement to social security.

Caroline Nokes: The Home Office has introduced the EU Settlement Scheme to enable resident EEA and Swiss citizens, and their family members, to obtain an immigration status in the UK.This status will protect, and enable individuals to demonstrate, their rights to work, education, healthcare, and other benefits and services in the UK after it has left the EU in both a ‘deal’ and ‘no deal’ scenario. This means that EEA and Swiss nationals who obtain status will retain their current entitlement to healthcare, education, benefits and social housing.Guidance for decision makers can be found in the Decision Makers’ Guide (DMG) and Advice for Decision Making Guide (ADM) available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/decision-makers-guide-staff-guide and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-for-decision-making-staff-guide.Departmental guidance is supplemented with updates when legal and procedural changes are introduced, and the HO continues to work across Government to provide information as appropriate.

Northern Ireland Office

Environmental Impact Assessment: Northern Ireland

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the environmental impact on Northern Ireland of the lack of (a) an independent environmental protection agency and (b) a working Executive.

Karen Bradley: The majority of environmental matters are devolved in Northern Ireland. Protecting our environment in Northern Ireland for future generations is a hugely important issue and highlights why I am determined to restore an Executive at the earliest opportunity. For environmental matters which the UK Government has responsibility, we are working hard to deliver on our ambition to leave the environment in a better state than in which we inherited it. We will continue to work with the Devolved Administrations to develop and support environmental improvement measures across the whole of the UK.

Northern Ireland Office: Brexit

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether her Department has deprioritised any Statutory Instruments on the UK leaving the EU; and if she will publish the criteria her Department used to deprioritise those Instruments.

John Penrose: Our objective has always been to have a functioning statute book in place by Exit Day and to ensure that the most critical secondary legislation was made by this point. This objective was achieved, so the question of reprioritisation has not arisen. The Northern Ireland Office had one SI required to correct a deficiency for EU Exit, the Flags (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, which were approved by Parliament on 3 April 2019. The Regulations will be made post-Exit day.

Treasury

Universal Credit

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the £1,000 work allowance increase announced in Budget 2018.

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the distributional effect by decile of the work allowance increase announced in Budget 2018; and what proportional increase in the income of each income decile will be.

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the fiscal cost would be of a further £1,000 increase to the same work allowances which were increased in Budget 2018.

Neil O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the distributional effect of a further £1,000 increase to the same work allowances which were increased in Budget 2018 on the percentage increase in the incomes of each decile.

Elizabeth Truss: The £1,000 increase to the Universal Credit (UC) work allowance, announced in Budget 2018, will increase the amount that 2.4 million households can earn before their UC begins to be withdrawn. This change will enable working parents and people with disabilities on Universal Credit to keep over £630 extra income each year. The Budget 2018 work allowance change increased government support for UC by £1.7bn per year by 2023-24. No assessment has been made of the cost of a further £1,000 increase in the work allowances over and above those which were increased in Budget 2018. HM Treasury’s distributional analysis, published alongside Budget 2018, shows the cumulative effect on household incomes of policies on welfare, tax, and public service spending measures. Because different measures often interact with each other, this cumulative assessment provides the best representation of the overall intended policy effect. This shows that since this Chancellor and Prime Minister took office, their decisions have benefited households throughout the income distribution, with the poorest households gaining the most as a percentage of net income.

Environment Protection: Finance

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Spring Statement of 13 March 2019, HCWS1407, whether the additional funding for the environment applies to (a) England or (b) England and Wales.

Elizabeth Truss: The government announced at Spring Statement an ambitious package of measures to support the environment, including mandating biodiversity net gain for development in England, supporting the Ascension Island Council in its decision to designate a new Marine Protected Area around Ascension Island, launching a comprehensive global review of the link between biodiversity and economic growth, to be led by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta, and taking forward a Call for Evidence on biodiversity in the Overseas Territories. These measures will help to deliver on this government’s pledge to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we found it. Any spend in England and Wales associated with these measures will be funded from existing budgets.

Child Benefit

Martyn Day: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has plans to ensure equity in the high-income child benefit charge in relation to a (a) one-earner couple and (b) two-earner couple.

Elizabeth Truss: The Government introduced the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC) from January 2013 to ensure that support is targeted at those who need it most. It applies to anyone with an individual income over £50,000, who claims Child Benefit or whose partner claims it, regardless of the make-up of their household. If total household income was taken into account, information on the incomes of everyone in each of the eight million households receiving Child Benefit would need to be collected and would effectively introduce a new means test. The Government’s approach withdraws Child Benefit from those on high incomes, whilst having no impact on the majority of claimants. The charge increases gradually for taxpayers with incomes between £50,000 and £60,000. Families in which at least one taxpayer has an income over £60,000 can choose not to receive Child Benefit, which means they do not have to pay the charge. Parents who are entitled to Child Benefit should still complete the Child Benefit claim form as this will help them to qualify for National Insurance Credits and thereby protect their entitlement to the State Pension and other contributory benefits.

NHS: Pensions

Alan Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of the Prime Minister of 3 April 2019, Official Report, column 1023, what discussions his officials have had with officials of the Department of Health and Social Care on the NHS pension scheme and the tapered annual allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss: As the Prime Minister said at PMQs on 3 April 2019, we are in discussion with the Department of Health and Social Care about concerns raised by doctors in the NHS pension scheme. It is not the Government’s practice to provide details of ongoing internal discussions. The Government keeps the impact of all public sector pay and pensions policies under constant review, taking account of total reward and fiscal considerations.

Child Care Vouchers

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what consultations were undertaken by his Department prior to the phasing out of the kiddicare voucher scheme.

Elizabeth Truss: The government announced at Budget 2013 that income tax and NICs reliefs on childcare vouchers would be phased out once a new, fairer and better-targeted scheme, Tax-Free Childcare, was introduced. This was followed by consultations on the delivery of Tax-Free Childcare (www.gov.uk/government/consultations/tax-free-childcare). The government published its initial impact assessment of the transition from Employer Supported Childcare to Tax-Free Childcare as part of the passage of the Childcare Payments Act 2014 on 20 November 2014, including an assessment on relevant equalities impacts covering families on low incomes, lone parents, carers and disabled people, older people, those taking parental leave and assisted digital access. The original impact assessment is available here:www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-free-childcare-impact-assessment. The impact assessment was updated on 20 April 2017, the update is available here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-free-childcare-impact-assessment-march-2017.

Child Care Vouchers

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the cost to the public purse was of providing the kiddicare voucher scheme in the most recent 12 months for which information is available.

Elizabeth Truss: HMRC’s publication ‘Estimated Costs of Principal Tax Reliefs’ includes the forecast cost of Employer Supported Childcare tax reliefs, of which Childcare Vouchers are the largest component, for the six years up to and including 2018/19. (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/782480/Jan19_Principal_Reliefs_Final.pdf) HM Treasury does not hold information relating to the cost of individual childcare voucher schemes offered by specific providers.

Children: Day Care

Mr Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will undertake a trial of means-testing for eligibility to tax-free childcare.

Elizabeth Truss: Eligibility for Tax-Free Childcare is already conditional upon working parents and their partners each having an adjusted net income of less than £100,000 per year.

Village Halls: Finance

Ben Lake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Barnett Formula will be applied to calculate the share of the recently announced village hall grant funding.

Elizabeth Truss: This grant scheme launched on 5 April 2019, and will be available to village halls in England. The Barnett Formula will be applied to funding in the normal way.

European Investment Bank

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department’s Infrastructure Finance Review, what recent progress has been made in establishing the UK’s future relationship with the European Investment Bank Group after the UK has left the EU.

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list any meetings he and his officials have had to discuss the UK’s future relationship with the European Investment Bank Group after the UK has left the EU.

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what sectors of the economy are most exposed to the loss of European Investment Bank funding.

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of the loss of European Investment Bank funding on (a) emerging technologies and (b) industries which rely heavily on long-term research and development funding.

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to secure a share of the European Investment Bank’s retained earnings, interest and dividends for the 12-year period over which the UK’s investment capital will be repaid.

Robert Jenrick: The EIB has lent to a range of sectors in the UK, including infrastructure projects and UK businesses. As you may know, the UK will cease to be a member of the EIB Group (consisting of the EIB and EIF) on exit day, as membership is only available to EU member states. Under the terms of the EU Withdrawal Agreement, the UK has secured the return of its €3.5bn capital in the European Investment Bank (EIB) through twelve annual instalments. We have reached a fair settlement with the EU, honouring commitments we made during our period of membership, and have ensured a fair deal for UK tax payers. Alongside the terms of exit set out in the withdrawal agreement, the Political Declaration, which sets out the framework for the future relationship between the EU and the UK, states that both parties note the UK's intention to explore options for a future relationship with the EIB Group. As we leave the EU, we continue to consider options for our future relationship and discussions on this will form part of the wider negotiations on the future EU-UK relationship. However, while Government wishes to explore a future relationship with the EIB Group, we recognise the need to be prepared for a range of scenarios. The Government already has a range of existing tools to support infrastructure finance, including the UK Guarantees Scheme and funds that support the development of new technologies including the Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund and Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund. The Infrastructure Finance Review, launched at the Spring Statement, explores future challenges in infrastructure finance, including new technologies, and seeks views on the Government’s existing tools. The review will conclude alongside the National Infrastructure Strategy at the Spending Review later this year. The Government also provides support for business and emerging technologies Research and Development (R&D) through a wide range of measures, including the largest increase in direct public R&D spending in 40 years, R&D tax reliefs, and the £2.5bn British Patient Capital programme, enabling long-term investment in innovative companies. Government support announced following the Patient Capital Review means that the British Business Bank has the capacity to make venture capital commitments this financial year that would exceed the combined average annual commitments from the European Investment Fund and British Business Bank in the years preceding the UK’s vote to leave the EU. In April, the government made an additional £200m support for venture capital and growth finance available through the British Business Bank to support the financing of smaller businesses.

Revenue and Customs: Reorganisation

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if HMRC will publish the final business case for the HMRC estate transformation programme.

Mel Stride: HMRC does not plan to publish the Business Case due to the commercially sensitive nature of the information within. HMRC’s Locations Programme Business Case has been reviewed by the Major Projects Review Group and approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. The Business Case shows that moving to regional centres will result in savings of around £300 million up to 2025, the programme will deliver annual cash savings of £74 million in 2025-26, compared with 2015-16, rising to around £90 million from 2028.

Credit Unions

Chris Stephens: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of discontinuities in credit union capital requirements on credit unions' capacity to grow assets beyond £10 million; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Stephens: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received on changing credit union capital requirements; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Stephens: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to change credit union capital requirements to support credit unions to grow assets beyond £10 million; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen: Representatives from credit unions have raised issues with me related to capital requirements, most recently when I spoke at the Association of British Credit Unions Ltd (ABCUL) conference in March 2019. Capital requirements for credit unions are set by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), in line with their mandate to promote the safety and soundness of firms. The PRA is independent from government and is responsible for ensuring the credit union sector is effectively regulated and financially stable. The government remains committed to supporting credit unions, which provide vital services to financially under-served communities and contribute to the diversity of the UK’s financial services sector. Credit union membership and assets continue to grow, with membership passing 2 million for the first time in 2018 and total assets growing to over £3.3 billion.

Capital Gains Tax

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the incidence of carried interest taxed as capital gains tax has been anually since 2005.

Mel Stride: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer that I gave on 23 April 2019 to PQ UIN 243571.

Trusts

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2019 to Question 243573, how many of the over 60 schemes that have been disclosed under the Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Scheme involve trusts.

Mel Stride: The Disclosure of Tax Avoidance Scheme (DOTAS) regime generally does not expressly require disclosers to tell HMRC whether a scheme involves a trust. HMRC review all disclosures under DOTAS and challenges schemes as appropriate as part of its risk based compliance strategy. Analysis at the point of disclosure indicates that around a third of the avoidance schemes disclosed under DOTAS rules since 2014 include trusts. However, the use of a trust may not be a material component of the scheme or arrangements being disclosed under DOTAS, the exact use of a trust will in many cases only become clear on further investigation.

Trade Agreements: China

Peter Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many investment agreements the Government has signed with the Chinese Government since 2010.

John Glen: The Government has not signed any investment agreements with the Chinese Government since 2010. The UK-China investment relationship is strong, and the UK is the number one destination in Europe for Chinese Foreign Direct Investment.

Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation

Peter Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what official engagements and meetings he has scheduled at the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

John Glen: The second Belt and Road Forum took place in Beijing 25th to 27th April 2019. The Chancellor attended the opening ceremony and gave a keynote speech at the main plenary session. He also attended the Gala Dinner and Leaders’ Roundtable hosted by President Xi Jinping. The Chancellor held bilateral meetings with Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, Premier Li Keqiang, Governor of the People’s Bank of China Yi Gang and Minister of Foreign Affairs for Thailand Don Pramudwinai. He attended a reception hosted by the China Britain Business Council and Department for International Trade, and met with the CEO of DiDi Will Cheng.

Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation

Peter Dowd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the former Prime Minister the Rt. Hon David Cameron ahead of the 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.

John Glen: The Chancellor did not have any discussions with the Rt. Hon David Cameron ahead of the second Belt and Road Forum.

Multinational Companies: Taxation

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2019 to Question 242951 on Multinational Companies: Taxation, if he will publish each country that the HM Treasury considers to be a low-tax jurisdiction with which the UK does not have a full tax treaty for which offshore receipts in relation to the intangible property measure in the Finance Act 2019 will be applicable.

Mel Stride: The Offshore receipts in respect of intangible property measure applies to entities that are not resident either in the UK, or in a jurisdiction with which the UK has a full tax treaty, meaning a tax treaty containing an appropriate non-discrimination article. The measure only applies where the tax paid in the local territory on the relevant intangible property income is less than 50% of the charge that would otherwise arise under the measure. This tax rate test applies on an entity-by-entity basis, rather than at the level of the jurisdiction. The measure may also apply to entities that are resident in territories where those entities are liable to tax on a territorial basis, subject to the UK’s treaty obligations and the tax rate test. A list of jurisdictions with which the UK has a full tax treaty can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/international-manual/intm412090.

EU Grants and Loans

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the total amount the EU paid to the UK in grants and funding was in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

John Glen: The most recent statement, European Union Finances 2017, provides public sector receipts details for: European Agriculture Guarantee Fund, European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development, European Social Fund, European Regional Development Fund, and other public-sector receipts. In 2017, these were estimated to be £4.1bn. Further breakdown of UK receipts is available through the EU Financial Report. This includes those receipts the UK receive through the public sector and private sector, i.e. receipts information on Horizon 2020 and Euratom.The EU’s Financial Report 2017 total UK receipts at €6.3bn. Using the exchange rate as of 31st December 2016 (this is the rate used for all contributions), this totals £5.4bn of both public sector and private sector receipts.

Public Sector: Redundancy Pay

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's 10 April 2019 press release entitled Six-figure taxpayer-funded public sector exit payments to end, (a) how many exit payments of more than £100,000 were made by each public sector employer and (b) what the value was of each payment by each employer in 2016-17.

Elizabeth Truss: Data on the number of exit payments made by public sector employers is publicly available in their accounts and reports. The table attached consolidates data which has been published in accounts for the reporting year 2016-17. It contains the number of exit payments made by public sector employers amounting to over £100,000. We do not hold data on the individual value of each exit payment, however the sum of exit payments over £100,000 has been provided.



Table to accompany PQ response
(Excel SpreadSheet, 52.25 KB)

Manufacturing Industries

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 24 April 2019 to Question 244078 on Manufacturing Industries, whether any financial support is available to manufacturers affected by the change in the date of the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

Robert Jenrick: The Prime Minister has agreed to an extension to Article 50 until 31 October 2019 at the latest. This eliminates the risk of a near-term economic disruption as a result of leaving the EU without a deal before that date. However, a responsible government must plan for every eventuality, including a no deal scenario, that’s why we’ve allocated £4bn for Brexit preparations. Meanwhile, as part of modern industrial strategy, we are taking action to ensure that the UK remains one of the most competitive locations in the world for manufacturing investment.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Disclosure of Information

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many non-disclosure agreements his Department has entered into with Departmental staff in each of the last five years.

Margot James: The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is not able to provide a response to cover the last five years as this information is generally not held centrally. In 2017, there were six non-disclosure agreements, all relating to recruitment of temporary staff. Non-disclosure agreements are put in place in exceptional circumstances. Non-disclosure agreements in DCMS are only used for temporary staff who will work on sensitive information, where commercially or politically sensitive.

Mobile Libraries: Finance

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to ensure the adequacy of the level of funding to ensure a mobile library in each local authority area.

Michael Ellis: The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 requires local authorities in England to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, within available resources. In considering how best to deliver this statutory duty, each local authority is responsible for determining local needs, which may include the provision of a mobile library service.

Internet: Older People

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will fund an initiative to offer training on use of the internet for elderly people in their local area in cooperation with local councils.

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support improved digital skills for older people; and if he will make a statement.

Margot James: Government is committed to helping elderly people acquire basic digital skills as part of our broader strategy to reduce digital exclusion as outlined in the Digital Strategy. The ‘Future Digital Inclusion’ programme delivered through Online Centres based in libraries and other community spaces has supported over 1 million adult learners to develop their basic digital skills, including elderly people. Government has also published plans to introduce an entitlement to full funding for basic digital courses from 2020, similar to the entitlements already in place for maths and English. This will provide adults of any age the opportunity to undertake improved qualifications based on new national standards free of charge. Through its £400,000 Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, the Government is supporting three pilot projects aimed at addressing the digital exclusion of older and disabled people. One pilot, is developing “smart homes” for elderly people to improve their digital skills, supported by their peers and younger ‘digital buddies’.

101 Calls: Fees and Charges

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether there is a requirement for telephone providers to have a 15 pence service charge for calls made to the police on the non-emergency 101 number.

Margot James: There is no obligation on telecom service providers to supply the 101 service free of charge as is the case with 999/112 under the 2003 Communications Act. Calls to 101 cost 15p from a mobile device or landline phones, from anywhere in the country and regardless of duration. Calls are free from payphones. The public have always paid to contact the police by telephone for non-emergencies and the 15p cost of the call goes to the telephony providers to cover the cost of carrying the calls. The police and government receive no money from calls to 101.

Sports

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential role of sport in the Government's strategies to tackle serious violent crime.

Mims Davies: We are clear that sport and physical activity has a key role to play to tackle serious violent crime in our community. At the Prime Minister’s Summit on Serious Violence on 1st April 2019, government departments, the National Governing Bodies of sport, the Premier League and other partners announced they are working together on a ‘sport offer’ to improve interventions to tackle violence. Sport and physical activity can help people to gain skills, build confidence and potentially reduce violence and recidivism.

Loneliness

Julian Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his Department has made of the capability of tech businesses to tackle loneliness.

Mims Davies: The Government’s Loneliness Strategy stated that government would work with businesses to stimulate innovative solutions to loneliness across all ages, backgrounds and communities. To deliver on this commitment, government is engaging with tech businesses to explore what more can be done. For example, together with the Minister for Digital & Creative Industries, I recently hosted a roundtable with tech businesses focused on tackling loneliness using tech. The government is investing £1m in a Tech for Good Challenge Prize to further stimulate the capability of tech businesses to tackle social isolation. In April, DCMS started work with Nesta's Challenge Prize Centre to design the competition with the formal call for participants tentatively scheduled for June 2019. As part of the research and design of the project, DCMS is working closely with Buddy Hub, Digital Health and Care Alliance, No Isolation and Vodafone, who have publicly stated their aims and achievements in tackling loneliness.

Sanitary Protection: Taxation

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of restricting the Tampon Tax Fund to charities which specialise in women’s issues.

Mims Davies: The purpose of the Tampon Tax Fund is to allocate the funds generated from the VAT on sanitary products to projects that improve the lives of disadvantaged women and girls. The existing criteria for the Fund - with the focus on onwards grants to small and medium sized charities and direct support for vulnerable women and girls - maximise the reach and impact of the Tampon Tax Fund across the UK. Whether directly or through onwards grants, tampon tax fund is exclusively made available to projects that support vulnerable women and girls.

Internet: Safety

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2019 to Question 242826, whether all data is considered to be user-generated content; and what the definition is of user-generated content.

Margot James: The Online Harms White Paper introduces a new statutory duty of care which will apply to companies that provide services or tools that allow, enable or facilitate users to share or discover user-generated content, or interact with each other online. The Government is consulting on whether this proposed scope is a suitable basis for an effective approach. All harms suffered by individuals that result directly from a breach of the data protection legislation are not in scope of the Online Harms White Paper, to avoid duplication with existing regulatory regimes.

Circuses

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what support he provides for the promotion of circus skills (a) in local communities and (b) internationally.

Michael Ellis: In 2018/19 ACE provided almost £4 million of funding to organisations whose primary sub-discipline was circus related activity. This includes £163,798 of funding that was provided to organisations that work internationally.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

Mike Hill: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the cost of the public purse has been of the Government's producing analysis papers relating to the UK leaving the EU.

Kwasi Kwarteng: The Department does not record costs at such a detailed-level, instead recording costs on a functional basis, and does not hold this information for other departments.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Equal Pay

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the gender pay gap in his Department.

James Cleverly: The Department for Exiting the European Union is committed to the creation of a diverse and inclusive working environment to ensure staff do not face any barriers to success, and all staff feel supported at work.At the time of DExEU’s gender pay gap report, women being overrepresented in more junior grades and underrepresented in more senior grades was a significant contributory factor in reporting DExEU’s gender pay gap. This is an issue that we are committed to addressing through our recruitment practices as well as the use of central and local talent management schemes to support the Department’s talent pipeline.